I had some previous experience but no certifications so, due to circumstances, I qualified for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and chose the I.T Certifications. Ended up with an A+ and a high level Microsoft Certification.

Remember, the I.T. field is not a paradise. There are crap companies just like aviation has plenty of commuter and 135 positions that have low pay and bad working conditions.

Also like aviation, there are several niche areas that are in demand and would fit specific personalities and skills.

I was smart enough to acquire a technology degree instead of a aviation degree so it seemed to work out.

Usually people look straight into System Admin, which is the same as an entry level airline, boring. There are so many other options. I know of one company that specializes in wiring like fiber optic and Cat 5+6. It's good pay and physical enough to be interesting. Others work on hardware, which can be profitable but disgusting (some people are slobs).

The biggest problem is finding the entry level job at the right company. Working help desk is a go nowhere position. It will pay the bills but that's about it. Working as an entry level engineer with a good company that promotes from within is an excellent way to go.

Try to find a charity to volunteer your I/T services. It will give you exposure to a wide range of skills and allow you to progress on some levels and discard others quickly and without hurting your career.

If you live in the NW I can suggest one to you.

CE

 

I just quit Asa. After 8 years I ave haf enough. Good to all.

 

Has anyone done web design as a second career? It seems like something you could study for and get a bit of experience at while you're still flying, and then fall back on it if you decide to leave full time flying. It sounds interesting, but I'm not sure if I would be any good at it..

 

What kind of idiot actually gets into aviation believing that, or stays there? You've told us previously that you stayed there for 20 years believing that.

I started flying as a teen and could see clearly what the industry was like, at the outset.

Obviously the business wasn't for you...or more likely, you weren't for the business. You've got thousands of posts whining about this and crying in your suds. Many in this thread are not in aviation because they've made a conscious decision to do something else. You're here because you want to convince more people to make such a decision. The truth, however, is that your efforts at a career were blind and shortsighted, and failed repeatedly.

Enough, already. You're embarrassing yourself.

I've "left" the business more times than I care to count. Never too far, though. Those who dabble in the airlines then give up have really missed the bigger picture. The industry is far too broad and pervasive to give up after sampling an entry level job.

I've moved to corporate, airline, ag, utility, test, maintenance, fractional , government, contract, and a host of other avenues as companies downsized, merged, sold, closed, and so on. I've taken jobs outside of flying, done a lot of work concurrent with other work, turned wrenches on aircraft as well as flying them (or instead of), and a lot of other things to keep a career going.

Those who build a career outside of aviation are acting intelligently and with foresight. Having marketable skills separate from flying, which has always existed on a razor-thin profit margin and stands as a leading economic indicator, is not only wise but essential.

Anyone who finds that their heart is no longer in what they do ought to move on, but those who find flying generally do so because of a deep-seated drive to fly. Giving up an airline job doesn't mean one must give up flying. It doesn't mean giving up flying for a living, either. There is always more than one way to skin the proverbial cat.

 

Hey, Badger.

I'm doing just that - web/software development. I had first studied web languages and networking about twelve years ago and really got into it after I was furloughed.

Some of the front-end languages are not hard to learn, but there is a steep learning curve when it comes to advanced stuff. Nowadays, HTML5 is the big buzzword, but I would say that JavaScript is very important to know as a corollary.

Please let me know if I can help to answer any questions you might have.

 

John,
What I believe that Sky is getting at is, whether or not the familiar description you gave can or should be called a career.

 

It's a great career. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I wanted to experience as much of aviation as I could...as thus far, I have. There's more to go. I'm not done yet. I work a job right now that pays extremely well, has a lot of time off (if I want it), and offers good flying, quality time home, an excellent employer, and enough adventure to make it worth while.

 

When I got into aviation I had a family member with United making 220k. My flight instructor charged, what I thought was a good rate (for him), and always had a student right after me. I figured everyone made survivable wages. It wasn't until I got into the college that I found out different.

Add me to the list of "idiots."

 

It's one thing to have a pie-eyed concept of what might be as a student; it's another to live under the illusion for the next 20 years of one's "career" as Sky High claims to have done.

Those who do labor under such misunderstandings can blame themselves for not doing enough research. It surely doesn't take much.

 

Ain't that the truth. The research of the 80's does not apply to today's world when it comes to the Aviation industry.