Student considering Airline admin/strategy work

[apacau]

Hi

I'm a uni student here in Australia and am after a bit of advice re: job hunting.

I have finished an arts degree with honours (thesis specialising on the french civil aviation industry) and have 2 more years to go to finish a law degree, specialising in international and commercial law.

I have always had a really keen interest in the airline industry and keep well informed on what is happening worldwide but especially here in Australia.

I was wondering: what type of positions should I apply for? I would be really interested in working in airline strategy, perhaps coordinating alliances, route planning etc. A job which involves travel is a bonus!

Are there openings in airlines for graduates in these areas? If so, what is the competition like? How about jobs in aviation consulting firms?

I have the advantage of dual citizenship so I can work in Europe and Australia without any legal hassles. I also speak fluent french and with a little revision required, fluent german. I have done work experience at AirServices Australia (ATC management etc.) as well as in the airline catering area.

I am considering programs such as the BA Graduates program which looks excellent but although (without wanting to sound arrogant) I am a pretty good student on scholarship etc, the competition looks VERY tough. QF also have one and I'm told that 5-10 get accepted annually from 500-1000 applicants.

Can anyone give me ideas? Am I being realistic hoping to get into these areas straight after uni (bear in mind in two years the current situation in the industry should have improved)?

Just one more thing - the more I study law the more I don't want to get involved in the legal side of things.

Thanks in advance!

[apacau]

no-one here is able to give me any ideas?

[Gunner B12]

From what I read here and in the dunnunda forum it seems the only people with vacancies at the moment, who are aviation related, is CASA and your legal training could be of use there. But I am no expert.

:) :) :)

Edited cos I couldn't spell legal (the shame of it)

[ 04 December 2001: Message edited by: gunner b 1 2 ]

[scroggs]

Alex,
I think you have an excellent chance of joining one of the major airlines. Most of them run graduate entry programs for their legal, financial and marketing departments. A post in any of these could eventually lead to board membership - if you're an outstanding candidate. Unlike aircrew, you can freely move between airlines progressively improving your position, pay, conditions and prospects, and experience at any major will be willingly absorbed by any other.
Because of the freedom of movement of labour in your potential fields, the chances of employment are considerably less problematic than they are for aircrew and, as you say, in two years time things will be much better. You could improve your overall chances by learning a foreign language (if you can find time....), but the main thing you will need is persistance. Use the time you have now to learn as much as possible about the business, make (and keep) contacts, go to whatever seminars or conferences you can, and keep your name visible in your chosen field. If your theses are good enough, get them published in industry magazines (Flight is not a likely candidate, but don't ignore it).
There are plenty of opportunities for those who are prepared to grab them - best of luck!

[apacau]

Thanks for comments Scroggs.

Just a couple of points:

1. Making contacts: my biggest problem! I post on a few forums and through them I have quite a few contacts (almost all in Australia), but to my knowledge none of them are really that high up - they are keen aviation enthusiasts who like to keep in the know on what's happening in their company/industry.

Not really having any family or friends in the industry nor in "high places" at all, making contacts is probably the most difficult thing of all!

2. Seminars and conferences: I would love to and on a couple of occasions I have applied but they usually frown on a student who can't afford to pay the often substantial registration but who wants to attend... On that matter, is there somewhere (eg: internet site) which lists conferences etc to be held?

3. I already speak fluent french and not bad german. Unfortunetely my thesis is in French which makes submittal to a magazine more difficult. That said, I could always translate it... Do you of any industry magazines who might be interested?

Well I hope you're right about my chances. I wouldn't say I'm outstanding (!), and board positions are something which are so far in the future that I think it is silly to think about or hope for at this stage, even if it were in 20-30 years time!

I anticipate starting to write letters, submit applications etc at the end of next year, with one year left to go at uni. I may well post my progress here then if it is of interest to anyone.

[rsoman]

Hi Alex
I am not aware of the scnenario in Europe or for that matter Austria, but having come into the Aviation field from a background
identical to yours I have some suggestions.

1, You have to get some industry relvant qualifications.Without this with your current background it is difficult to get in!
(I did my bachelors in Chemical Engineering and however hard I tried to convince potential employers in the commercial side of aviation, I got turned down everytime).
There are a number of good courses which have universal acceptance many of which can be done by self study. The courses offered by IATA are an example(In my case I took their travel agents training programmes but there shouyld also be airline management related programmes available).

2, Once you have these it is easier to get in at the entry level at a small to medium level organisation(ie if you get turned down by the big ones).I am sure these vacancies do
exist in Australia.

3, With some industry qualifications and more importantly having acquired experience after one or two years, the access to the big players will definitely be easier.

Hope this will be of some help

TK