Working toward A&P on the job...

[MarineGrunt]

How likely is it to find an A&P to hire me as an apprentice (full time)? I'm moving to SLC and need a job so I thought I could try to do something like this while working toward my A&P. Any advice or leads are appreciated!

 

[avbug]

In SLC? Not likely. The SLC Community college is right on the field, with their aviation maintenance training program, and their students are available for work study or cheap maintenance labor...and get used.

Few if any mechanics can afford to hire an apprentice; you'll need to be working for a shop or maintenance department, and your best bet there is to find a repair station. If you're serious about finding work in aviation, usually it doesn't involve deciding where you'll be living and then finding the work. It usually involves finding work, and deciding that this is where you'll live. Be prepared to move to suit the needs of an employer.

 

[MarineGrunt]

Yeah, I know. I have to move to SLC for a military obligation, so I don't have much choice.

 

[Wang Chung]

When I flew freight I was on-call quite a bit. I knew the folks that ran a local mx shop and I was able to work there as a "mechanic's assistant" on a part-time flexible basis when I wasn't flying.

The pay was low, but I learned a great deal and I got to help out with some cool stuff. I did my share of mopping up pidgeon poop in the hanger, too, but that's OK. I can't stand sitting around being non-productive while waiting to fly, so the whole situation worked out for me. It also gave me the chance to network with some important people that would later lead to 2 good flying jobs.

I had called the local FSDO about the possibility of eventually earning an airframe and/or powerplant on the basis of experience. They had good things to say about the shop and they had some type of paperwork package that I could have used to help me thru the process (decided not to pursue that because of the irregularity of my work there).

I don't know much about the SLC area, but you might make the rounds and talk to some local shops and see what you can find.

Wang