I don't know that aviation is the vanguard of technology so much as the occasional user of it.
Certainly certain aerospace aspects have had filter effects to the world: NiCad batteries, for example. GPS is an aerospace-based technology that finds global applications in areas far reaching outside aviation. However, much of what we find in aviation is by no means cutting edge, and often utilizes existing technology.
The mythical personnel shortage in aviation hasn't taken place yet, and won't.
Work is available in aviation; one frequently must travel to get it. Aircraft travel to make money; one has to travel to make money with them. It may mean uprooting and moving one's home and family. It may mean international transfers or commuting, or temporary assignments.
One can't expect to graduate schools and then demand one's salary and location. As an inexperienced neophyte, one is the beggar, not the chooser.