Aviation Maintenance
A Career that Pays for a Lifetime

Careers in aviation maintenance have been on the upswing for many years. As our population grows, so do the needs of aviation support companies all over the country. Aviation is in a constant growth pattern because it is a necessary and vital means of transportation. As commercial carriers find new ways to do business, skilled maintenance technicians will continue to be in high demand.

When looking for a school to provide you with the skills to enter the aviation industry, you should ask a lot of questions and make sure you understand the answers. Your decision will be an important one, as you will be investing several thousand hours of your time and several thousand dollars of your money. In exchange for your investment of time and money, you will enter into an industry that will challenge you daily, expand your knowledge, and provide you with a career you can enjoy for many years to come.

Visit more than one school and be sure to write down questions you would like to ask including the following:

• Is the school accredited, and by whom? (Ask if you can see the accreditation certificate.)

• When are classes offered? (Ask if they offer day, night, full-time, and part-time classes.)

• Does the school help the students find a full or part-time job while you are in school?

• What is the placement rate for graduates? What companies have they placed graduates with? (Ask what some of the starting salaries were. If they refuse to answer, don't worry; many schools are prohibited from quoting salaries.)

• What areas of aviation might I work in? (The response should be overhaul facilities, repair stations, regional airlines, flight schools, fixed air base operators, military contractors, freight carriers, etc.)

• Does the school have a student service? (Find out what benefits are available to you.)

• What types of financial assistance does the school offer? (Request a meeting with the Financial Aid Office to get acquainted with the procedures to apply for financial aid.)

• What are the requirements for acceptance into the school? (Some schools will give you an entrance test to determine your mechanical and mathematical aptitude.)

If you ask all of the questions listed above and don't get an immediate answer or don't get an answer that makes sense, you're at the wrong school.

Article provided by the Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Lawrenceville, Georgia.