Expert: David A. NewMyer - 2/12/2005

Question
HELLO,I'M RAINA from Mauritius.I have just received my Cambridge 'A' level examination results and currently I'm applying to universities.
I have applied for the aviation course at the university of New South Wales in Sydney. I'm very much interested in the aviation field but everyone  discourages me to go forward with university studies in this area.They say it has no particular scope in Mauritius and that I may later find myself unemployed or with a job that will not meet up to my expectations.
But u know, I love this field,got a crush for those flying birds,admire the activities that go on in its maintenance and every other aspect of the aviation industry. I feel that there's no other region in which I would want to  get specialised. My course is the BACHELOR IN AVIATION( OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT)and I would like to  know what possible careers one can have after graduation. Also , I intend to complete my Msc in aviation technology and I would like your advice about many things. To be realistic, it is true that Mauritius offers limited chances for those graduating in aviation .We have only one national airline.
Is it possible to get jobs in other countries , what are the companies or institutions that can offer me a sort of scholarship? Which universities in England offer the same undergraduate course: Bachelor in aviation -operations Managemnet? Do university programs include traineeship opportunites(for e.g students working part time with airlines or other aviation institutions)? PLeaseeee help me . I want to be well informed and get a proper idea of how  rewarding a career in aviation can be. I would appreciate if you could reccomend universities in the UK which offer the same degree and which can help me get some sort of scholarship .

Please help me make the right decision. PLease help me fulfill my ambitions through  your guidance and advice.
THANK YOU.  

Answer
Hi, Raina:

Nice to hear from you.  I will try to assist, even though I do not know very much about aviation operations management programs in the UK.

First of all, the only BSc program that I know of with the aviation operations management major offered in the UK is at London Metropolitan University, and, I believe the Center for Civil Aviation in London, whose website is

http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/depts/bssm/aviation/

There are likely others but I have not been made aware of them.

Cranfield University in Oxford used to offer such programs, but, only offer MSc programs (graduate level) at this time.

There are, of course, over 50 institutions that offer such programs in North America (Canada and the USA).  To obtain a listing of such programs, you can contact the University Aviation Association at http://www.uaa.aero/ or by emailing them at uaa@auburn.edu to find out more.  THIS SAME ORGANIZATION (UAA) ALSO OFFERS FOR SALE A COLLEGIATE AVIATION SCHOLARSHIP LISTING THAT LISTS OVER $1.4 MILLION IN AVIATION SCHOLARSHIPS.  Use the same contact information above to find out more about this listing.  In addition, you can contact the following webiste for information on aviation scholarships and financial aid:  www.avscholars.com
Finally, the United Nations Development Program sometimes has money for scholarships for university students.  Contact them at www.undp.intl   Also, check for such information in the International Civil Aviation Organization website at www.icao.intl

As far as traineeship or internship opportunities, most BSc  programs in aviation do offer such opportunities to their students.  They can be either paid or unpaid and, whether paid or not, are many times offered for university credit within the degree program (as a requirement of the degree). The duration of such training can be for a summer (3 months) up to a year.  

Jobs that aviation operations management students can get will vary around the world, but generally include such areas as:

AT AIRPORTS:

Airport operations

Airport management

Airport marketing

AT CONSULTANT FIRMS:

Airport planning

Aviation analyst or aviation financial analyst

AT AIRLINES:

Airline sales representative

Airline marketing representative

Airline fleet planning analyst

Airline crew scheduler

Airline cargo analyst

Airline dispatch coordinator

Airline customer service manager

AT MANUFACTURERS:

Business analysst

Technical writer (normally also requires a technical background in aircraft, such as an airframe and powerplant mechanics license)

Cost estimator

Contract analyst/manager

AT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

Aviation policy analyst

Aviation fiscal/infrastructure analyst

Aviation planner

Aviation regulator/analyst

So, I guess what I am saying is that airlines are not the only place you can work with such a degree, even in Mauritius since I am sure you have one major airport and you also have a federal agency that deals with civil aviation.  So, there would be work possibilities at both of those locations as well as at the national airline.  Also, keep in mind that any national airline has two key aspects to it:  The central executive office where there are staff members who work on overall airline issues and the operational side of the airline (such as customer service managers, sales and marketing managers) who are located at airports, major destination cities, etc.

And, of course, that is also true of airlines in other nations.....

And, to give you a picture of the U. S. aviation industry:  Even with all of the "downside" news at our major airlines since the 9-11 attacks, the overall aviation industry in the USA still employs over 2.0 million people across manufacturing, airlines, general aviation (small aircraft operations and support) and government agencies involved in aviation at the local, state and federal levels.

A final thought for you is that good planning and research now, as well as some solid thinking about what you would really WANT to do in life, will save you years of "backtracking" later in life.  I hear from a lot of people who choose to do something as a career for money or some other reason and they are just miserable going to work each day.  I would want everyone to experience the satisfaction that I have going to work every day to do things I like to do in aviation.

Best wishes to you,

David A. NewMyer, Ph.D., Professor and Chair
Aviatoin Management and Flight
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
http://www.aviation.siu.edu/