Aircraft Maintenance Careers

Our annual Maximizing your Career Choice issue is just around the corner. The August issue, which we are already working on, will provide tips on getting the most out of a career in aircraft maintenance. Working on this issue always gets me thinking about careers in aircraft maintenance even more than I normally do. On a personal level, aircraft maintenance has been good to me. I have had the opportunity to work for some good companies and have had ample career advancement opportunities along the way. But I don't pretend it is that way everywhere. These are some tough times for some areas of aircraft maintenance -- namely at the airlines. Aircraft maintenance professionals there have gone through a tough six years of job cuts, wage concessions, and increased stress. Many have left the industry for good, tired of the cyclic economic swings in the industry. It seems to be feast or famine, and many are tired of the long stretches of famine. To be honest, it may be a long time, until there is another feast. It looks like a long-term crash diet is the trend. Even though many airlines have soared back to profitability and exited bankruptcy, they seem hesitant to give back to the employees who agreed to pay reductions and job cuts during the tough times. At the same time, other areas of the industry are growing. If you look at general aviation, repair stations, and corporate flight departments, the buzzword seems to be "shortage." Managers at these facilities will tell you that they are having a hard time finding qualified mechanics and avionics technicians to fill job openings. This shortage has led to higher wage and incentive packages in order to attract the quality workers they are looking for. So how has the recent economic cycle affected you? Do you feel there is a good opportunity for growth and advancement in your company, or in aircraft maintenance in general? Thanks for reading! Joe Escobar