Dani,
I'm afraid - IMHO - that academia has stolen some sort of march on the maintenance training scheme. I spoke recently with someone whose background is similar to yours: college or uni and a basic rating and his situation is similar to yours = no job. After your college or uni, you are expected to move into industry to gain experience. In the maintenance industry, that is, frankly, @rse about face; experience - and a book full of ratings - is what the AMOs want. Given the choice of a 50 year old with years of experience but no aviation related academic qualification or a 23 year old with the opposite, guess who will probably get the job? I know lots of guys and girls who have attended degree course after working for years in the maintenance industry as a change in career path or for personal satisfaction; no problem with that. I did a great 4 year apprenticeship with MAEL in the 70s: block release college and a couple of LWTR courses included. Bring the traditional apprenticeship back.
