Career in Aeronautical Engineer?
 

Hi. I'm just wondering what the prospects are like around the world for someone getting into aeronautical engineering. I live in New Zealand, and things don't look very good here, as our biggest carrier is outsourcing most of their maintainance jobs, and there dosn't look like that much in the way of decent training, either.

But what's it like elsewhere? Such as Canada? Is it worth training partly over here, then finishing overseas? Are their plenty of people looking for new engineers? Some nice packages for intelligent, dedicated, newbies? Or is it about as tough as landing a job as a heli pilot?

If someone could point me towards some info about the general requirements and paths in the industry, that would also be great.


Thanks.

Hi Soupy,
Your problem won't be ended by someone saying which nation has the best prospects. The whole industry is permanently in ups-and-downs.
Once you have the technical know-how, and experience of maintenance, you must then decide which nation you should aim at. Many countries have different approaches to the same ICAO aim of aviation safety.
Each National Aviation Authority has different regulations and rules for which you must prepare for Licensing Exams.
This goes for NZ/Aus/EASA/FAA/TCCA. Almost all authorities do not easily accept the Licences of others, and some totally ignore previous experience and qualifications, insisting on you passing their standard as a stand-alone item.
It is not like a Check-Flight for an experienced Pilot's Licence conversion.
Maintenance systems for nations are totally a National matter - there are huge differences even within the EASA nations!
My advice is to do all the training where you are, and, when you are experienced and qualified, then look at what you might get from going abroad.
Once deeper into the industry you might have a different view of the availabilities locally.
Best of luck whichever way you go.
Rigga

Well, you see, that's the problem. I'm not going to get any experience here. I don't think we even have any full training anymore. If I'm serious about this, my only real chance is to look overseas, unless I was to compete with the 300 very experience people desperate to find jobs in a small country of 4 million.

http://www.kiwicareers.govt.nz/defau...103&id1=J28360

ask around for apprenticeships at the GA side of your airport. i walked into mine from doing work exp while at school. other options are is do a 10 month full time course at a trade college.

for example http://www.atae.com.au

http://www.aviationaustralia.net.au/home/default.asp

etc

gspinz

Soupy,
As gspinz says, if Air NZ only has a few maintenance traininee/apprentice places, maybe you would be better off going elsewhere.
Try looking at all the other aviation opportunities around you, such as the expansive NZ helicopter fleet, or bizjet fleet. There must be other Commuter Airlines around the Islands?
I know your likings may be more toward the big stuff, but try starting on the smaller stuff.
Although these aircraft may be smaller, the mechanical theories are all very much the same, and many of the avionics are very similar in the bizjet/commuter fleet.
You could get to know much more of how the whole aircraft worka (and 'all' of an aircraft - as opposed to 'parts' of a larger aircraft) This is all "experience" - and you may even like it enough to stay there!
I started on Helicopters, went through Flying clubs and fixed-wing maintenance to get to 767's - It can be done!
Oh, and Nothing in aviation is easy!

Thanks for the info.

NZ has a growing bizjet fleet? Both bizjets and helis interest me. I'll have a look around.