Need Help In Joining the Aviation Industry

SQ22 SG

I, like many in this forum, have aviation fuel in my blood. I've been interested in airlines and civilian aircraft since I was in primary school. My uncle used to work for a courier company and used to bring home air waybill stickers.

I get very excited when I read news about developments in the industry, like when SIA took delivery of its A345LeaderShip, and when Valuair took off on its maiden flight last week.

I would like to join this dynamic industry, but I'm not sure how I should go about doing it. I have a degree in Computer Science and have been working as an engineer in various IT distributors and system integrators, and have zero experience in aviation. I'd like to take on any role in the industry, for example, route planning, flight scheduling, ground operations, negotiations with governments for overflight/landing rights, etc. Anything but IT.

I've been applying for jobs since February but haven't had a single invitation for interview yet. I guess it's difficult for me to jump into a non-IT role in aviation coz I have experience in neither the job function or the industry (the two components in any job).

The way I see it, there are two main routes for me:

1. Via a similar industry
Join a transport company (eg. SBS Transit) as a route planner, gain some experience, and hop to an airline in the future
2. Via a similar job function
Join an airline as an engineer and get an internal transfer to route planning in the future

The idea is to get in one step at a time, leveraging on my experience in one area.

Can anyone offer me any help on this? Any advice?

SQ22

kopiosatu SG

just join the company straight, experience does count once you start working.

but as a trainee, you start from scratch.

SQ22 SG

Sorry I didn't catch what you said. Did you mean experience does count or experience doesn't count?

I've applied for numerous positions I'm interested in at various airlines and aerospace companies for the past 3 months. Just some examples:

* Assistant Manager at CAAS
* Chart Editor at Lido Aeronet
* Project Engineer at SALE
* Administrative Officer at SIA Cargo
* Business Solutions Analyst at SilkAir

The fact is, no one has given me a chance, which is most disappointing. What should I do next?

SQ22

kopiosatu SG

oh u mean those kind of jobs

i wouldn't know...

i thought you were referring to technical jobs in the aviation industry

megatron SG

Whoa Brother!!! Abort!abort! set TOGA!! Very Happy
Hi. It's great seeing how you and many others are takin a serious interest in the aviation industry as a career and not play play and wanna get near the stewadesses. i have people wanting to "join" aviation industry so as to get near the "kebayas"..and i absolutely deplore this kind fo attitude.
First of all, you have to know what you want to do in the aviation industry .Your IT experience is a valuable asset since airlines are using state of the art techno and IT ple play a significant role. I hav IT people fro outside who got a contract to help our route planning computers are it is so dificult sicne they hav no idea wat our parameteres are so I hav to spend 1 week of induction and training for them and once they understand, it's all systems go!
BUt then again, it's difficult for you to know exactly what u wan to do since it is such a small and new field .esp for us here. U say u wana get to do routeplanning and in obtaining o/flyng and landing rights.that is a very advance part of job and only seniors can do that ..u need not just good technical skills but experience.
Briefing, to do routeplanning, you need to hold a dispatcher's license, u need to hold training in performance, navigation and charting, knowing how to read Jeppesen charts, airport analysis, RNWy analysis, RFF caterogry suitable for ur kind of aircraft , route manual studies, pre-diligence studies,ETOPS ? and then there is that corporate side of demands.
1.Please..u can;t hop on to an airline industry becoz u hav experience in planning SBS transit..it's a diff ball game. Pilots are governed by FTL, basing on thier AOC either 9V or JAROPS, SBS captains don;t. (though I hope they do ).
2.Joing as an enginner, assuming it's aircraft engineer will still put you ZERO in routeing planning or flight operations. It is a dedicated job and by the time u finished training and ur bond, you might not want to go flght or ground opeartions.
3. Perhaps u might like to consider joingin the ATC. but rememer the test is tough, Bond is arnd 6 years and not unionised. Job is challengin but there are no more rotation between tower controllers and area,approach in SATCC. (like last time)
4. h/ever with SATS flight ops, BOND is one year and u get good training.
it's too long to list down but it an encouraing trend that peple are taking a more "indepth" look into aviation.
Many times pple got misguided thinking that tower belongs to SIA.
Drop me a line if u hav more queries.
Till then, HAPPY FLYING....

SQ22 SG

HI megatron,

Thanks for your reply. When I said route planning, I was just using it as an example in describing the probable entry routes into the aviation industry.

Thing is, I'm a greenhorn to aviation and what I know are just what the average layman can get his/her hands on, from press reports and the Internet, so I may not know exactly what I'm talking about. Very Happy

What I do know is, I want to be part of this dynamic industry. I do not exactly know where I'm heading yet. But it's possible to do internal transfers, though not into very technical areas if you don't have the necessary skills and experience. Rick Clements joined SIA as a computer guy and 13 years later, made the switch into public relations. He's now resigning as the VP of Public Affairs. Perhaps for me, I could try out some commercial positions.

From what you said, it seems that the way to go for me is via the technical line. Perhaps I should consider joining SITA. In fact, I realised a few weeks back it was difficult for me to go into a non-IT function, that's why I tried for the position of a Business Solutions Analyst at SilkAir (requires IT background). Still, I have no calls from them. Sigh...

Where do you work in and what's your position?

SQ22

megatron SG

Hi SQ22.
don't believe them press reports lar!