Thanks for the reply. I take it that the individual goes to school, takes the licensing exams, then builds time at a company and takes the aircraft specific exams? Did you get all of the licensing qualifications (Instruments, Autopilot, Combined Category, Radios, and Radar) on your own, before hiring on with a company? Most airlines in the US spend maybe two days on Chapter 24 in their system training courses, which are usually four weeks long. Four weeks of one aircraft’s electrical system (like you said you had) and I would be able to call all of the relays by their first names!
Over here, qualified mechanics are very much in demand, but if you leave one airline for another you start again at the bottom of the pay scales. So I have no incentive to leave a $25/hr position to start at $16/hr at the beginning of a five to ten year climb back to top wages unless the whole airline is sinking. Kind of a monkey trap with wages and seniority. Hopefully this will change soon. I think companies will start cherry picking and headhunting soon.
Mechanics without certificates often get hired for the shops. The company will then request a repairman certificate for the mechanic to work under and sign items off with, but it is restricted to local tasks and the mechanic cannot take it with him to another employer.
How many types of aircraft can you work on? As an example, I have nine different maintenance releases and can taxi the same nine aircraft. Does this seem a little ridiculous? (Yes, I have a real interest in using the check lists) What is the advantage to having a type endorsement? Is it just for maintenance releases?