Avionics News October 2022 - 57

a u tomot ive fi e l d , so I sta rted
l oo k i ng a ro u n d a t wh a t p rog ra ms
d i ffe re nt comm u n i ty co l l ege s
offe r. Afte r fi n d i ng avi a t i o n
ma i nte n a n ce tec h n o l ogy a mo ng
t h e p rog ra ms, I d i d a l i tt l e
d i gg i ng . I l ea r n ed t h a t t h e re wa s
a bo u t to be a h u ge s h o rta ge
i n q u a l i fi ed mec h a n i cs i n t h e
com i ng yea rs a n d rea l i zed t h a t
t h e re wa s p ro ba b l y go i ng to be
q u i te a l ot of o p po rt u n i t i e s i n
t h e i n d u st ry. Pe rso n a l l y, I t h i n k a
b i g d raw of wo r k i ng i n avi a t i o n
i s t h a t o n ce yo u h ave yo u r A&P
l i ce n se, yo u ca n fi n d a j o b i n a ny
c i ty wh e re t h e re's a n a i r po rt .
Do you see any
roadblocks or challenges
that are keeping young
people away from the
industry? Have you faced
any along the way that
you care to share?
I t h i n k a l ot of wh a t kee ps
yo u ng peo p l e away from t ra d e s
i s s i m i l a r to wh a t I expe r i e n ced
i n h i g h s c h oo l . Th e re's t h i s
co n sta nt n a r ra t ive t h a t yo u ca n
o n l y be s u cce s sfu l a s a n a d u l t i f
yo u get a fo u r-yea r d eg ree from
a u n ive rs i ty, wh i c h i s s i m p l y
n ot t r u e . Tra d e s c h oo l s we re n ' t
eve n d i s c u s sed a s a n o pt i o n .
Pe rso n a l l y, I t h o u g ht go i ng to
a u n ive rs i ty a n d h avi ng h u ge
st u d e nt l oa n payme nt s j u st d i d n ' t
ma ke se n se .
Do you see ways that
industry leaders,
aviation companies and
organizations can better
reach young people?
Go to t h e h i g h s c h oo l s, ta l k to
t h e k i d s a n d pa re nt s, a n d s h ow
t h em t h a t t h ey ca n s pe n d l e s s
mo n ey o n a d eg ree o r ce rt i fi ca t i o n
i n a t ra d e a n d come away wi t h
g rea t o p po rt u n i t i e s .
Did your aircraft
maintenance training
prepare you for working
in the field? Or did you
have to learn a lot of
things on the job?
Ye s a n d n o . A&P s c h oo l s tea c h
yo u ba s i c st u ff a bo u t d i ffe re nt
type s of a i rc ra ft a n d h ow a i rc ra ft
systems wo r k i n ge n e ra l . Eve ry
ma n u fa ct u re r d oe s t h i ngs s l i g ht l y
d i ffe re nt, so t h e re's d efi n i te l y
a l ot of o n -t h e-j o b t ra i n i ng t h a t
ta ke s p l a ce a s we l l a s a l ot of t i me
s pe nt rea d i ng t h e ma n u fa ct u re rs'
ma n u a l s fo r wh a teve r type of
a i rc ra ft yo u ' re wo r k i ng o n .
I see you started as an
apprentice at West Star
in 2017. What was that
experience like?
Any surprises?
Be i ng a n a p p re nt i ce wa s
i nte re st i ng . I wa s a l i tt l e
i nt i m i d a ted a t fi rst, a n d a fra i d of
d a ma g i ng somet h i ng s i n ce I wa s
tota l l y n ew to t h e i n d u st ry. B u t
o n ce I k i n d of got my bea r i ngs,
my co n fi d e n ce i n my a b i l i t i e s
Continued on following page
AVIONICS NEWS * OCTOBER 2022
57
Avionics News October 2022

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