Airlines, Airports and Aerospace
A Career in the Skies
Global demand for passenger air travel is projected to grow by over 5% per year for the next 20 years. At the same time, air cargo demand is projected to increase by nearly 6% per year. All of this adds up to dramatic new opportunities in the aviation and aerospace industries.
According to Dr. Daniel Petree, Dean of the College of Business at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, USA, “[There will be] Opportunities for engineers and pilots, of course, but importantly, for skilled operations, managerial and leadership talent as the air transport sectors continue to grow to meet this increased demand.”
According to the International Air Transport Association, for the first time in history, intra-Asia-Pacific air travel eclipsed that of North America in 2009, becoming the world's largest aviation market. At the same time, while there were 3.0 airline seats per person in the US, there were only .1 seats per person in India. Petree added, "In order to manage this dramatic growth anticipated for the air transport sector, tomorrow's managers must know how to operate complex and growing aviation systems efficiently and effectively by applying the best managerial and leadership practices. The challenge is to meet the environmental and economic sustainability demands of society while providing responsible development unique to air transport in order to meet the needs of an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world. It may well be the most exciting time in history to prepare oneself for a professional managerial career in Indian aviation and aerospace." Among the key components of the air transport system, which will need new business and managerial talent, are commercial airlines, airports and aerospace manufacturers and suppliers.
With the forecasted increase in the transportation industry and the importance of transportation in the world economy, firms in the critical areas of airlines, airports and aerospace are growing and being created to increase transportation options not only for the conducting of business, but to allow students the ability to traverse the globe for new exciting and unique aviation industry educational opportunities. With the increased opportunities for air transportation, career opportunities for professionally trained managers; schedulers, planners and engineers needed for the vital jobs within the various aviation industry segments are created.
Globally, airline, airport and aerospace industries are forecasted to grow into the future. With the increasing standard of living in many countries, the spread of technology and the need for infrastructure growth in countries required to support these industries, career opportunities will be plentiful into the future. In countries such as India and China, as airline operation and ownership are deregulated we have seen the creation of new air carriers and the future should only see more airlines being formed. To support the growth in these industries, new infrastructure and improvements to current airports mean the need for airport managers and planners to build and operate the critical facilities needed for people to access the world of the skies. Besides the managerial and air transport operational specialists needed, critical support areas such as weather forecasting, air traffic management, aircraft engineering and design, aircraft and engine maintenance, safety and security specialists will be needed to assure the smooth functioning of this vital world transportation network.
Career opportunities in these three industries bring forth different challenges. Airlines must constantly be aware of the global forces that can impact airline operations, from the price of oil, to natural disasters, to possible political changes, to world events that call on the airlines to meet the needs of the traveling public. Skilled managers are needed with business and industry knowledge of the marketplace that is unique to the airline industry who must also know how to acquire the resources needed by the airline to serve the traveling public in a cost effective manner.
Airports must address both the needs of the airlines and the needs of passengers using and flowing through the airport. Airport managers and planners must be keenly aware of both of these customer groups and the demands placed on the airport every day and at nearly every hour of the day. Airports are becoming known as mini-cities in the scope of the activities and operations needed for the successful functioning of the airport. Due to the unique aspects involved, many are recognizing the importance of the training and education now needed to be a modern airport manager.
Aerospace managers and engineers must constantly strive to develop the aircraft and supporting technologies and systems which allow more travelers access to the skies—all the while being aware of the growing need to do this in a manner that does no harm to the planet we occupy and whose skies we wish to access. Unique educational experiences are being developed by leading aviation universities that combine both the technological skills and the knowledge of the environmental constraints that aviation and aerospace industries are expected to meet in the future. The airline, airport and aerospace industries face a changing workplace environment that will provide constant challenges to be found on the job.
As the world continues to offer more opportunities for the public to take to the skies, a highly skilled and professional workforce is needed to help the individual traveler. Across the world, unique aviation and aeronautical universities have created a range of educational programs at the undergraduate and graduate level to help provide the transportation industry with skilled men and women needed to function and succeed. If one wishes for a career in the skies, these distinct universities exists to help you reach your goal for a career to take you to the skies.
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