Mechanic (Engineer, Technician) Shortage
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Mechanic (Engineer, Technician) Shortage
Management over here is complaining that they can no longer find qualified mechanics. Bummer. Reap what you have sown. All these years of driving down labor costs has resulted in fewer folks being interested in this field.
So the question is, is this also happening outside the U.S., and would you recommend this field to others to go into?
So the question is, is this also happening outside the U.S., and would you recommend this field to others to go into?
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Hi Redtail
There is a shortage of qualified, skilled labour in the UK too, and it is directly as a result of lack of investment in training that has been going on for decades. Traditionally the big airlines and maintenance organizations have relied on people leaving the forces to fill the gaps, but with the peace dividend there are not the people around who have sufficient aero maintenance experience. There have been a lot of small operations that have blossomed and grown, and traditional operators, all of which have expanded their fleet. But true to form, the lowley Techie who never gets seen gets forgotten. Management expect us to work harder, and be 'multi skilled' but eventually something has to burst, so somebody interested in a career in aviation usually overlooks maintenance as an option, usually because of poor pay. But look on the bright side, you and I will never be out of work! Recently my lad was asking my opinion of career choice after school. I asked if he wanted to follow in my footsteps, and he wondered if I would be offended if I said 'No'. I was actually quite relieved. For me the fun has gone out of aircraft maintenance as a career because of financial constraints being placed by people who don't know our business.
There is a shortage of qualified, skilled labour in the UK too, and it is directly as a result of lack of investment in training that has been going on for decades. Traditionally the big airlines and maintenance organizations have relied on people leaving the forces to fill the gaps, but with the peace dividend there are not the people around who have sufficient aero maintenance experience. There have been a lot of small operations that have blossomed and grown, and traditional operators, all of which have expanded their fleet. But true to form, the lowley Techie who never gets seen gets forgotten. Management expect us to work harder, and be 'multi skilled' but eventually something has to burst, so somebody interested in a career in aviation usually overlooks maintenance as an option, usually because of poor pay. But look on the bright side, you and I will never be out of work! Recently my lad was asking my opinion of career choice after school. I asked if he wanted to follow in my footsteps, and he wondered if I would be offended if I said 'No'. I was actually quite relieved. For me the fun has gone out of aircraft maintenance as a career because of financial constraints being placed by people who don't know our business.
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Taken from an article in the ALAE Tech Log http://www.lae.mcmail.com/ Is there a shortage of Licensed Aircraft Engineers? This question was posed by Tech Log of its readership in August 1970. It would appear that the author of the article did not really believe such a situation existed, in spite of the CAA (known at the time as the ARB)assessment of the LAE population. Tech Log quoted the ARB figures for the previous five years. They had set out a neat table of numbers to show how many new Licences were issued, how many extensions and how many renewals. Our article compared the figures over the five-year period and found that there was in fact an increase of 23% over the five years, in new Licences and 15.6% increase in renewals over the same period. The writer stated that the statistics disproved the ARB case that there was a shortage. I feel that he missed the point here, it is illogical to assume that just because more people were taking and renewing Licences, that there could not have been a shortage. He failed to mention the existing demand for engineers. We could have 5000 new Licences a year, but if industry is calling for 10,000 licensed engineers to certify their fleets, then Hey, we have a shortage.
So here we are in 2000, thirty years on and we still have a shortage, and only now the
situation is looking dire! Amazingly, the number of new Licences is only down by 90 over the last five-year period. So it would appear that roughly the same number of people are slogging through the licensing process as did thirty years ago. What is not happy news is the fact that renewals are down by 11,100 (this is not a misprint). The inescapable
conclusion one comes to is that LAE's are leaving the industry in their droves. It could be that many are not renewing until they can convert to a JAR-66 licence. Let's hope so.
So here we are in 2000, thirty years on and we still have a shortage, and only now the
situation is looking dire! Amazingly, the number of new Licences is only down by 90 over the last five-year period. So it would appear that roughly the same number of people are slogging through the licensing process as did thirty years ago. What is not happy news is the fact that renewals are down by 11,100 (this is not a misprint). The inescapable
conclusion one comes to is that LAE's are leaving the industry in their droves. It could be that many are not renewing until they can convert to a JAR-66 licence. Let's hope so.
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The young have a choice.
1/ Do a four year apprenticeship,then spend several years studying to get their countries qualification, followed by type courses, this then entitles them to long hours sometimes in poor weather conditions for little thanks and a salary that is just fair but not worth the responsibilty that the stress large companies can put upon them.
or
2/ Do a computer course over 3 years then join a firm that pays well lets you work in the dry /keeps you clean and shifts aren`t common.
Which would you choose now if given the chance again?
1/ Do a four year apprenticeship,then spend several years studying to get their countries qualification, followed by type courses, this then entitles them to long hours sometimes in poor weather conditions for little thanks and a salary that is just fair but not worth the responsibilty that the stress large companies can put upon them.
or
2/ Do a computer course over 3 years then join a firm that pays well lets you work in the dry /keeps you clean and shifts aren`t common.
Which would you choose now if given the chance again?
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Now lets see.4 year apprentiship,2 years top to bottom for your tickets,courses that last months for your CRS.Back to work on the line on seven yes seven day shifts,waking up to go to work at 04.30 in the morning,for seven yes seven earlies on the spin,a few days off,and then back in for seven yes seven straight earlies all over again.This followed by the fact that i earn considerablly less wonga than the boys and girls serving tea and coffee on the longhaul fleets.In fact the sad truth is my salary is preety much now coming in to the same line as that of a manager at macdonalds.and just to cheer you all up,being represented by a union that has about as much in common with A/C maintenance as the pope does with riding harley davidsons.So having an A/C maintenance engineer shortage suprises nobody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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“But look on the bright side, you and I will never be out of work!” Ain’t it beautiful? Pay me now, or pay me later.
I think some of the blame for the problem lies with the unions, who have not leveraged demand for mechanics/engineers/technicians into higher pay for our group. When I started with a major airline, the pay was very good and compensated for the conditions (5 eight hour days on afternoons or nights, working all holidays, having to move across the country for a job/career). Since then the status and pay has slipped. I don’t think I would play the game again if I were to do it all over. What is sad at where I work is that we keep getting people coming in as mechanics who have come from other departments for the pay raise, not because of any mechanical calling. We have also reached the point where the airlines are hiring directly from the schools.
It sounds like in the UK the hours/shifts really stink. I am looking forward to ten hour days with rotating days off, but mainly to save money from commuting and to spend more time away from work. Rotating shifts will kill you, I would rather stay on midnights all of the time than to keep moving around. Currently I am on eight hour shift, six on/two off on a six week rotation (Sun/Mon, Mon/Tues, T/W, W/Th, Th/F/S, F/S/S)
I think some of the blame for the problem lies with the unions, who have not leveraged demand for mechanics/engineers/technicians into higher pay for our group. When I started with a major airline, the pay was very good and compensated for the conditions (5 eight hour days on afternoons or nights, working all holidays, having to move across the country for a job/career). Since then the status and pay has slipped. I don’t think I would play the game again if I were to do it all over. What is sad at where I work is that we keep getting people coming in as mechanics who have come from other departments for the pay raise, not because of any mechanical calling. We have also reached the point where the airlines are hiring directly from the schools.
It sounds like in the UK the hours/shifts really stink. I am looking forward to ten hour days with rotating days off, but mainly to save money from commuting and to spend more time away from work. Rotating shifts will kill you, I would rather stay on midnights all of the time than to keep moving around. Currently I am on eight hour shift, six on/two off on a six week rotation (Sun/Mon, Mon/Tues, T/W, W/Th, Th/F/S, F/S/S)
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Over here in Ireland I have heard of people finishing training at Shannon Aerospace then going to Dell in Shannon! Other people have gone to Intel and Gateway as Techies (the folks in the Silver suits). The brother is a techie with Intel. His biggest hassle is the hot suit!!
He just HATES (yeah, right) the Canteen, the Fitness centre, the Share options, the Civilised Management, The 5 on 4 off followed by 4 on 5 off 12 hr shifts, the company funded "social" evenings for staff etc etc
Slap in your CVs lads'n'lassies!!
Still, I actually would still prefer my job! AM I MAD???
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The Stamp is mightier than the Toolbox!!
He just HATES (yeah, right) the Canteen, the Fitness centre, the Share options, the Civilised Management, The 5 on 4 off followed by 4 on 5 off 12 hr shifts, the company funded "social" evenings for staff etc etc
Slap in your CVs lads'n'lassies!!
Still, I actually would still prefer my job! AM I MAD???
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The Stamp is mightier than the Toolbox!!
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Hippy me old kipper........
i just love my job because;
a)the respect i get
b)the oodles of cash
c)the fresh air
d)the relaxed atmosphere
e)friendly banter with crews
f)the social scene
g)the'thank-you's'received
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.....they won't catch me!!!!!!!
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those white coats really suit you sir...no wait ! ....get off!...it wasn't me,it was the rabbit........fish.....damn!
i just love my job because;
a)the respect i get
b)the oodles of cash
c)the fresh air
d)the relaxed atmosphere
e)friendly banter with crews
f)the social scene
g)the'thank-you's'received
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.....they won't catch me!!!!!!!
--------------------------------------------
those white coats really suit you sir...no wait ! ....get off!...it wasn't me,it was the rabbit........fish.....damn!
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JET SET SPARKY, you've got to put the megger leads on the equipment you're testing, not hold the leads in your hands. And quit turning the radar on and standing in front of the antenna with NE51 (neon) bulbs to see if it is really working.
Jeez, they let anyone in here.
If only my "fresh air" didn't have the occasional rain and/or snow blowing into my ears.
Jeez, they let anyone in here.
If only my "fresh air" didn't have the occasional rain and/or snow blowing into my ears.
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And here is another leg to this lead. A guy in our cycling club has just failed his interview with Brits, not for his technical knowlidge but for his lack of 'Company Prospective'. (I ask you). Apparently he was asked lots of bull**** questions regarding his knowlidge of Britannia. He thought he did all right, but he did not know the name of Britannia's servise for children. He wants to be an engineer for goodness sake, not a company mouthpiece. Well I hope my mate gets set up for his apprenticeship.
PS does anybody know of any places going for apprentice engineers in the Beds area?
PS does anybody know of any places going for apprentice engineers in the Beds area?
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One thing about GOD`s hangar is someone with a sense of humour likes to have a joke with the temp/climate controls when your on nights!!!!!!
Ref unions are you tired of stores personnel and tech records people being the majority voters in your pay talks?
our`s have just accepted for us a 3.25% rise, if only we could get into seperate talks!!!
Ref unions are you tired of stores personnel and tech records people being the majority voters in your pay talks?
our`s have just accepted for us a 3.25% rise, if only we could get into seperate talks!!!
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The hippy, get all your LAE's together join the ALAE for £52 per year and you will have your own representation.
goto http://www.lae.mcmail.com for their website.
goto http://www.lae.mcmail.com for their website.
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Hippy, you've got my sympathy. We just got out of that situation. Our new union isn't perfect, but it is a lot better than what we had before. We should have jumped in with ALPA years ago. It seems to be a struggle to get a bunch of mechanics organized; too many cantankerous independent individuals.
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spannersatcx yes i know alae are good but one of the problems is the mannagement wont reconnise them, they only used to allow a works committee (a rep from all sections stores,eng,fitters,tech records etc) up till last year. and a fitters union this year.
But yes I will join alae, as I know they are at least a voice in the big picture of things.
[This message has been edited by The hippy (edited 13 May 2000).]
But yes I will join alae, as I know they are at least a voice in the big picture of things.
[This message has been edited by The hippy (edited 13 May 2000).]
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Both. The money used to be very good (major US airlines), but the unions tried to get everyone in to collect their dues, and let the wages slip.
On the other issue, how many of you grew up helping your fathers, friends and family work on cars? I mean, if it wasn't being worked on in my family's driveway, I was riding my bike around the neighborhood and hanging around someone's elses. How many kids have that experience now? The tradition is going away.
On the other issue, how many of you grew up helping your fathers, friends and family work on cars? I mean, if it wasn't being worked on in my family's driveway, I was riding my bike around the neighborhood and hanging around someone's elses. How many kids have that experience now? The tradition is going away.
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hippy, if 50% of the technician workforce want a union the management have to agree to it. That has become law since New Labour came in. The management at your place only recognised the mechs union because they got themselves organised at LTN and MAN. If the techs get organised across all stations and join ALAE en mass, then they too will have representation.One word comes to mind when discussing Techs @ M and union representation...... APATHY. Too many members of the 'Court Line Club' been there too long, looking forward to pension day, dont want to rock the boat etc etc.
Well, I guess thats that bridge well and truly burnt..................
Well, I guess thats that bridge well and truly burnt..................
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Prepare for visitors. We just got linked by http://www.the-mechanic.com/mainbb.html
[This message has been edited by redtail (edited 14 May 2000).]
[This message has been edited by redtail (edited 14 May 2000).]