Working in the Aviation Industry Continues to be a Popular Career Choice
The aviation industry is vast and one that many industry experts feel will continue to grow on a large scale. In a report published by the ATAG (Air Transport Action Group), 62.7 million jobs are supported worldwide in aviation and related tourism. Of this, 9.9 million people work directly in the aviation industry. In the next 20 years, the report forecasts that aviation-supported jobs worldwide will increase to over 99 million. It goes on to explain that the highest forecast growth will be in regions with fast-developing aviation sectors, such as Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. http://www.atag.org/our-news/press-releases/92.html?tmpl=pressrelease
An Expanding Aviation Industry Requires an Expanding Workforce
Let's look at that in a bit more detail. What the ATAG is showing here is that the aviation industry currently needs 9.9 million people to help keep the airlines and airports across the world operating successfully. In that figure there will people of all ages and experience and offering varying skills needed to fill the huge variety of roles. Beyond the customer service roles consisting of flight attendants, baggage handlers and airline ticket agents, are the technical roles; pilots, navigators, mechanics and engineers and beyond that still are the skilled accountants, catering managers, financial experts, attorneys and airport managers. From entry-level to highly experienced, all employees are working together to ensure the smooth running of the planes to get customers safely to their destinations. The combination of skills required and the fact that every major city in the world has an airport, means that jobs for airlines and airports are accessible to those looking to pursue their career in aviation. But with so many people needed, what do airlines and airports offer to ensure they get the skills they need?
Employee Benefits that Reach Far and Wide
Whilst working in aviation can be very demanding, it's hard to find a better industry for travel opportunities. Some of the jobs themselves require extensive travel. Pilots and flight attendants for example could visit as many as ten cities on several different continents in one five day shift! And the travel opportunities are there for when you're off the clock too.
Employees working for an airline (including those that don't fly as part of their job), are generally offered discounted flights, making travelling to those sought-after destinations, much more feasible for them. Generally, employees can travel for free or at a greatly reduced price on the airline they work for (space permitting). The airline Virgin Atlantic for example, offers a 'Staff Travel' scheme where full-time employees are entitled to up to seven concessionary standby flights a year to any of their destinations (employees just pay the taxes on the flights). They also offer their employees deals on holidays through Virgin Holidays, stretching the benefits to staff beyond simply the flight. Some airlines even have agreements with each other offering their employees the chance to purchase discounted tickets on flights with their airline as well. And it doesn't stop there, flight crew sometimes qualify for discounts on rental cars and hotels and even some travel attractions.
While employees working in airports generally receive less travel opportunities, they too often have well paid jobs with a good range of benefits. The Manchester Airport Group (MAG) for example, proudly displays their employee benefits on their website. These benefits span across all areas of an employee's life, showing that they are keen to offer their employees a complete package of benefits. There are some benefits that are specific to working at their airports such as 50% off holiday airport parking and others that focus on how employees get to work such as their cycle to work scheme and subsidised rail travel. The company recognises that their employees have family commitments and offer their employees access to childcare vouchers, family leave, discounts in highstreet shops and subsidised nursery places. They also ensure that their health is looked after as their employees are entitled to join their health cash plan at a discounted rate. As a business it's in their best interest that their employees are continually developing so MAG offers them training and career development as well as an annual financial incentive scheme to ensure that their contributions are recognised. This isn't specific to MAG either as many airports offer similar schemes as they compete to attract and retain the skills they need.
Of course there are some attractions to this industry that aren't created by the airlines or airports themselves, but instead lie in the jobs themselves. A popular reason people choose to work for an airline or airport is the variety and opportunity it gives for employees to meet new people on a daily basis. Those that work in airports enjoy the chance to meet interesting people and 'people watch' with no two days being the same in terms of who comes through the airport. Flight attendants also often state that they chose their job because of the variety of interesting people it enables them to meet. For others it's being part of something big, an industry that is all about being on the move and they want to join and see where their career will take them within the industry. After all with so many different skills required, it can be a career in which they are continuously learning.
Attracting Candidates is Just the Start
So as the aviation industry expands and the need for skills grows, so too does the competitiveness of airline and airports in terms of the benefits they will strive to offer in a bid to attract and retain the skills they need to succeed in such a vast industry. Once candidates are considering a career in the aviation industry or are wanting to progress within that industry, many turn to the equally competitive market of aviation recruitment.
As a contract/job seeking candidate it's easy to feel lost in a sea of recruitment agencies. There could be several in their local area but how do they know which one would be right for them? Rated Recruitment is a good place to start an aviation job search because here candidates can compare aviation recruitment agencies. Candidates rate agencies they've worked with, sharing an insight on the things that matter. So when searching for local agencies, candidates will see the ratings they've been given, enabling them to compare them. This way, choosing a recruitment agency will no longer be taking a leap into the unknown. Personal experience of working with an agency is what makes us take on another contract/job with them or find a different one! By sharing what an agency is like from rate of pay to amount of work, other candidates can make informed choices. The more candidates that share, the more likely it is that the next time a candidate needs a new agency in their area, there'll be ratings waiting to help them choose. So, when a job lands in their inbox that takes their fancy, they can take advantage of searching for that recruitment agency to see how other candidates rate it. If they're impressed with them; they can apply for the job in just a few clicks!
Comparision of recruitment agencies, is a benefit Rated Recruitment can uniquely offer ensuring that as candidates seek to enter a industry full of advantages, they start their search off in the same advantageous manner.