This past week I went to Daytona Beach FL to attend the homecoming at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. One of the main events was the Career Expo. Companies interested in ERAU grads. were there and could talk to the up and coming young prospects about their companies and such.
Now, I was not too keen on attending this thing. Being a 18 year airline vet my opinion of most of the industry is pretty jaded. I was expecting to hear a lot of excuses as to why these companies were not hiring, which I did hear a fair amount of. The big surprise for me was that there are companies out there hiring mechanics. My wife a (furloughed) pilot was gathering info for another friend of ours who is also out of work. The conversation would go something like this:
"Hello are you guys doing any (pilot) hiring now or any time soon?"
To which a bunch of the companies replied:
"No, we are not hiring pilots right now, we are looking for mechanics."
So, after they picked me up off the floor and used smelling salts to revive me, I recovered enough to ask some questions and here's what I found out:
The companies hiring right now are not the ones I would call first tier jobs. These are smaller companies. Not quite main stream ones-second tier companies.
I'm talking about places like:
Air Wisconsin-looking for A&P mechs and ONE inspector for St. Louis and I believe Philly. Top out is $29/hr.
Gulfstream-looking for A&P mechs for their manufacturing facilities in GA. Starting pay $12.50-13.75.
Textron-helicopter engine assembly and overhaul. Starting pay $12/hr.
A couple of "Air Service" companies (think contract maintenance). Paying $15-18/hr.
So people are hiring mechanics but if you are expecting to get any where close to airline pay-forget about it. Oh and be prepared to move to St. Louis.
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