Exploring career opportunities in the aviation industry in 2021

The aviation industry is one of the industries significantly contributing to a country's economy. The industry is growing at an unprecedented rate owing to the surge in passenger count, decline in travel price and reduced time to reach destinations. The year 2020 saw a major restriction in air travel as the COVID-19 pandemic severely hit the world. Now as the countries are reopening their borders, air travel begins gaining momentum. However, to safe and secure flying, there always remains a need for skilled workers and staff in aviation.

As the industry is trying to get back on track in the new normal, the demand for skilled professionals will see a surge. Many reports show a positive recovery for the aviation industry in 2021 and beyond. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the aviation industry will return to 2019 levels by 2023, with the recent positive news about the efficacy and arrival of vaccines. The agency also predicts that there will be passenger and cargo demand for an additional 9,500 aircraft to fly in 2023 compared to 2021 requiring another 105,000 pilots to be trained in that period.

Skills Required to Start a Career in Aviation

• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Emotional Intelligence
• Leadership & Teamwork
• Communication skills
• People skills
• Education in B.Sc., B.Tech/ B.E. and more.

Top Jobs in Aviation

Aircraft Engineer

Aircraft engineers are a highly demanded and respected profession in aviation. Like other engineers, they apply scientific and mathematical concepts to solve commercial and practical problems. They are types of aerospace or aeronautical engineers who design, test, maintain and supervise aircraft making. Aircraft engineers also specialize in structural design, navigation, instrumentation, or communications.

Aircraft Pilot

Commercial pilots receive a lot of training and experience before ever being allowed to take full control of a large aircraft. They are responsible for the operation of the aircraft, the safety of the passengers and crew members, and all flight decisions once in the air. Their primary concern is the safety of the plane and passengers.

Aerospace Project Engineer

An aerospace project engineer typically works on every part of the aircraft. He/she works in teams to come up with the best design to meet the needs of the customer. Aerospace project engineers schedule and oversee the maintenance of aircraft while writing technical reports and formulas. They need to give presentations to their managers and customers. To Get into this role, a person requires a B.Sc. degree from an accredited university in a field related to aerospace sciences, avionics, aeronautical engineering, or air transport engineering.

Avionics Technician

Avionics technicians are specialists responsible for installing, repairing and maintaining an aircraft's electronic instruments. With the increasing use of digital technology, they require spending more time maintaining computer systems. They are also responsible for ensuring that aircraft components are working properly and in a good state of repair. The work of an avionics technician demands high skills and knowledge.

Air Traffic Controller

Air traffic controllers are responsible for coordinating aircrafts' movement to maintain safe distances between the aircraft. They also direct aircraft efficiently to minimize delays. They manage the flow of aircraft into and out of the airport airspace, guide pilots during take-off and landing, as well as monitoring airplanes as they travel through the skies for security purposes. Air traffic controllers typically use radar, computers, or visual references to monitor and direct the movement of aircraft in the skies and ground traffic at airports.

Besides these roles, aircraft maintenance manager, airplane mechanic, flight attendant, and flight paramedic, along with aviation administration jobs such as compliance officers, Quality assurance and others are the most crucial job roles in the aviation industry.