While becoming a flight attendant is one of the most acknowledged careers within the airline industry, there are plenty of other jobs to consider when exploring this particular field. With varying levels of customer care, education, as well as math and science requirements, there are many different opportunities to explore when considering a job with an airline or airport.

Different Career Fields in the Airline Industry

The airline industry provides jobs that place employees both in the air and on the ground. When it comes to being a part of the cabin crew, there are different levels of seniority and responsibility to take note of. For example, varying degrees of flight attendants include first-class, trainer, corporate or VIP services, as well as management. The flight crew includes employee positions, such as training captain, command, pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer.

Engineering is a separate category as well, where licensed engineers are needed to attend to the airframe, engines, and avionics. On the ground, employees may handle traffic, operations, performance, crewing, route planning, passenger services, or management positions. Administrative responsibilities usually deal with a certain level of experience and education. Employees in this sector often control the following areas: finance, commercial sales, marketing, IT, personnel, senior management, as well as director positions.

Additional jobs associated with the airline industry include skycap services, air cargo handler, airline support, flight dispatcher, and ramp service personnel.

Airline Experience and Education

As you explore the many different positions that the airline industry furnishes, a certain level of experience and education might be required to qualify for a particular job. Usually customer contact roles demand the least amount of education, but thrive off of extensive experience with personal interaction, patience, and customer service.

Telephone sales agents are trained to sell tickets for flights, where a standard high school education and previous experience dealing with customers is needed. Customer service agents may excel in the fields of English, math, and geography, as they man the airline check-in stations, boarding pass outlets, answer questions about flights, and check bags.

The airline industry also provides an assortment of careers that do not directly deal with the consumer. Aircraft maintenance engineers (also referred to as ground engineers) are responsible for the service and repair of aircraft while on the ground. They are trained in mechanical or avionics engineering, which also entails working on electrical and electronic systems, radio, audio, hydraulics and pneumatics. Qualifications for this kind of work include 3 to 4 years of a craft apprenticeship; good grades in math, English, science, and physics, or full-time college courses in Aeronautical Engineering.

Airline pilots require a CPL (commercial pilot's license) and may also use any experience gained when flying aircraft in the military. Depending on the airline, a certain number of flying hours are needed to fill the position of a pilot.

Commercial aircrafts are packed with an array of items to accommodate their passengers. Anything from food, beverages, snacks, newspapers, movies, and extra pillows are available upon request. All of these items pass through the hands of employees who handle and prepare these products through a catering division associated with an airport. There are no specific education requirements attached to this line of work.

Airline Industry Salary and Benefits

Depending on the company you work for, an assortment of decent benefit and salary packages are offered for workers in the airline industry. For example, United is a popular airline that travels throughout the world. Employees receive competitive benefits that range from worldwide travel privileges for eligible family members, life insurance, health and dental packages, and 401(k). Paid holidays, stock options, and pension plans are also benefits that an airline may offer their employees.

When it comes to the salary of an airline employee, location and years of experience help determine wages. For example, flight attendants must possess a high school diploma or an equivalent, but today, a college degree is often preferred. For a management or supervisor position, advanced education helps. Some schools and college offer flight attendant training, which helps boost an application wading in the job pool. Most beginning flight attendants earn a low-range of under $20,000 per year, while the median salary is found around $28,000 to $56,000. Some senior level attendants may earn close to $80,000.

Additional average salaries for airline-related careers and jobs include: aircraft electrician ($35,777 - $44,847), chief flight inspector ($68,319 - $99,965), large jet pilot in command ($84,567 - $136,612), test pilot manager ($78,540 - $192,607), and flight scheduler ($34,050 - $73,762).

In the United States, there are numerous airlines providing local jobs, such as Delta, Northwest, Southwest, Jet Blue, Spirit, and American Airlines. Popular Canadian airlines to seek employment include Canadian Airlines International, Air Canada, and Air Canada Jazz.

Labels: Careers in Airline Industry

As the world grows more and more media saturated, the need for organizations to have a Public relations specialist continues to grow. A public relations specialist serves as advocates for the business and organization, such as universities and hospitals. It's their job to deal with media relations, and public perceptions of their organization. They organize material to be composed into press releases, and in smaller organizations, handle media inquiries.

A public relations specialist is more than a talking head; they're there to strategically plan how communications interact with their organization, and are critical for the proper, planned deployment of information to the benefit of their organization. Increasingly, their expertise is used by managers before moves and media interactions made. To do their job properly, public relations specialists have to do research, not only on their own organizations objectives, but also on how public groups are reacting to key issues of interest. Perception and reality both have to be weighed carefully in the mind of a public relations specialist.

Skills a public relations specialist has to have are research skills, public presentation and writing skills, plus "people skills". While there is no formal degree program in public relations, course classes in pre-law (for research), journalism (for writing) and marketing and business (for demographics and people management skills) are essential to someone working in the public relations field. Generally, the way to get the job is to apply for it, and learn how to do it as you learn; this is much the same way that most marketers learn how to market, and the two jobs are similar, but not identical.

Pay in the public relations field starts at $25,000 a year at a small firm, where your public relations hat will be worn in addition to your marketing hat, and maybe along with your advertising writer and web site designer hat. As your experience grows, and your resume improves, you'll be able to parley your experience, and your successfully managed public relations and marketing campaigns into higher paying positions. At mid-level companies, public relations is a managerial position, and is compensated accordingly, at $50,000 to $70,000 per year or more. The truly big money in public relations is tied to political campaigns, particularly at the Federal level in the United States. Public relations specialists at this level can expect to pull down high six-figure and low seven-figure salaries.

At this highest level of public relations work, you'd be expected to coordinate data from polls, formulate polling questions, test run responses to issues raised to find the one with the greatest resonance with the widest audience segment likely to vote for your candidate at all. You'll be on the lookout for news about your candidate that the other side could and will use against your campaign, and the entire job can be likened to simmering in stress hormones for the better part of a year. That being said, if you've got a journalism or marketing degree, the run up to the primary season next year is a beautiful opportunity to get lots of exposure as a public relations specialist, and work your chops in. Some public relations specialists parley their campaign experience into government appointments. Ron Brown, the FEMA manager who was pilloried for his handling of Hurricane Katrina, got his job because of his role as one of the state public relations coordinators for the Bush campaign.

Nearly every organization (corporate, philanthropic and otherwise) has a public relations person working for them. Look for the person everyone turns to for answers about that organization, particularly when someone asks questions. The public relations person is the one who knows the answers to questions asked, the one other people in the organization comes to. It appeals to a certain mind set, the person who wants to know everything and be The Answer Guy. If this is your basic personality type, and you have the requisite research skills and ability to deal with the public, this may be the ideal career for you!

Labels: Careers in Public Relations

When it comes to taking a job within the fishing industry, there are plenty of areas to explore that deals with the commercial side of fishing and fish production. Each year, millions of tons of fish and other seafood products are consumed in the world, meaning there is a wealth of possibilities regarding this particular line of work.

Throughout the United States and Canada, there are many different freshwater fishing locations that provide outlets for employment. For example, the Manitoba commercial fishing industry offers work for more than 3,600 individuals, who are responsible for 25% of the freshwater fish supply for the country. Lake Winnipeg also provides many opportunities to make a living in the fishing industry. Commercial ventures in the area include the harvesting of whitefish, northern pike, yellow perch, and white bass.

Fishing Jobs

Fishers and other fish-related workers may use nets, fishing rods, and other equipment to trap and catch the creatures of the sea. The fish and other marine life caught are later sold to restaurants, open-air markets, or grocery stores. Depending on the type of fish caught, they may also become animal feed and bait.

Some workers in the fishing industry often work part-time or full-time on farms or boats. Employees that work on a boat, sometimes range from a handful of people to large crews. Smaller crews tend to establish their fishing operations close to land in shallow waters, while larger commercial boats sail hundreds of miles from shore to acquire tend of thousands of pounds of fish.

When boats are large and crews consist of a high number of people, a variety of positions are needed for a fishing expedition. A captain, first mates, deckhands, and a deckboss are just some of the titles that workers may undertake. A wide range of duties are also expected of the crew, including navigating the boat, operating the fishing gear, sorting fish, loading catches, and maintaining the boat.

Aquaculture is also a field that people find employment, where fish and shellfish are raised according to their species in fresh water, salt, or brackish water. Some individuals use ponds and floating net pens to cultivate the fish, where larger fish farms are situated by the sea and positioned close to the shore. The workers associated with aquaculture stock, feed, look after, and supervise the aquatic life in their care, which is later used for consumption or recreational fishing ventures.

Catching fish to make a profit is not the only way fishermen make a living. Some individuals with a boat rent out their equipment and vessel to tourists looking to catch their own fish. Some captains may offer their services and fishing boat to vacationers looking for a tour of the open water, especially when situated in tropical locations where sunset cruises and marine life sightseeing (such as dolphin or whale watching) are popular.

Moving away from the physical catching of fish, the industry also includes the fish-related jobs that take place inside of a factory. Fish cleaning, packing and packaging involves the deboning, removal of scales, and overall preparation of catches to create store-ready products.

When individuals are interested in working in the fishing industry, there are certain locations in the United States and Canada to seek out. For example, Alaska is known for offering many different fishing career opportunities, which can be found by visiting or contacting one of their many job centers. Community seafood employment specialists are situated at Anchorage, Fairbanks, Bristol Bay, Nome, Kodiak, Seward, and Ketchikan.

Some of the conditions associated with the fishing industry may prove too much for some. Although full season or contract work is available, there are a few basic criteria to satisfy in order to fit into the industry. Employees are often physically fit, able to handle long work hours, can move heavy objects, deal with wet and cold weather conditions, display a positive attitude, and follow safety rules and directions.

Education in the Fishing Industry

Depending on the type of career sought after in the fishing industry, you may or may not need education. Many individuals fall into fishing careers because it is a tradition passed down from generation to generation. Usually, relatives have been groomed to take over or contribute to a family business. Some people obtain secondary school education to thrive in the business or attend commercial fishing courses at the local community college.

Often, on-the-job training is enough to make a living in the field of fishing. Depending on where you land a job, certain positions call for licenses, such as the commercial fishing license needed to become a skipper in many locations. Local fishing unions may also point interested parties in the right direction.

The salary earned for a fisher and other related workers varies from state to state. In some areas, the median weekly earning regarding some of the largest occupations in the fishing field is about $400.

Labels: Careers in Fishing

Throughout the United States and Canada, big business and a variety of careers are found within the forestry industry. In regions such as British Columbia, forestry creates close to 80,000 jobs throughout the province. Today, an array of positions are available that allow individuals to showcase a range of skills and experience, such as protecting and managing forests, fire fighting, and maintaining wood manufacturing businesses. Not only does a job in forestry place employees in the great outdoors and fresh air, but also allows individuals to play an important role in saving the environment.

Forestry Education

A wide range of skills from math to biology to botany all serve a purpose in careers pertaining to the forestry industry. Individuals may pursue technical, supplementary, or professional instruction in order to carry out their duties, as well as advance in the field. When seeking education to further goals in the forestry industry, you may encounter forest technology programs, university transfers, 1-year or 2-year certifications, advanced and graduate studies, as well as forestry training programs (focused on subjects, such as chain sawing and fire suppression).

Jobs in the Forestry Industry

Depending on your interest in forestry, there is a wide range of careers to pursue in the field. Below you will find a few jobs to consider when entering in the world of forestry:

Forest protection officers usually make between $45,000 to $58,000 as fire suppression experts that assist in the protection of forests, natural resources, life, and property threatened by wildfires. Controlling and extinguishing fires and promoting the growth of areas suffering from fire damage are just some of the duties this type of job involves. An individual may decide to pursue forest protection through both technical (Scientific/Technical Officer) and professional (Licensed Science Officer) levels. Forest firefighters make an average of $20,000 to $30,000 to man the front lines during the spread of a wildfire. Heat and smoke are some of the elements involved in this type of employment, which is usually a seasonal position.

A timber cruising technician makes about $35,000 to $54,000 blocking layouts and creating boundaries for tree stands. They are also responsible for taking timber inventory, as well as assisting professional foresters in building roads. A forest technology diploma is needed for this line of work.

A registered professional forester can make a lucrative living, as they manage the resources attached to a particular forest. The annual salary for this career includes $50,000 to $93,000. Important decision-making skills are required to take on such a job, which includes the knowledge of the treatment of logging and reforestation. The ability to create short and long-term plans for managing forest resources also fall under this line of work, as well as enforcing government and industry regulations. A bachelor's or master's degree in forestry is needed to efficiently perform the duties associated with being a forester.

Biologists study the plants and animals in a forest and aid professional foresters in creating sufficient forest plans of management. A bachelor's or master's degree in biology is needed to make an average salary range of $35,000 to $60,000.

As the field of forestry allows a wide range of careers to flourish, additional jobs one may also consider includes forest technologist ($40,000 - $70,000) road systems engineer ($38,900 - $64,500) log scaler ($43,000 - $62,000) radio communications operator ($47,000 - $58,000) natural resource policy analyst ($35,500 - $70,000) administrative assistant ($32,000 - $43,000) research officer ($36,000 - $70,000) and range officer ($30,000 - $65,000).

Top Forestry Companies

When looking to gain employment with one of the top forestry companies throughout the United States and Canada, a variety of selections may be found in locations, such as Boise, Idaho or Montreal, Quebec. With $3.6 billion in sales, Abitibi Consolidated is headquartered in Montreal and offers work with integrated forest products.

In Boise, Idaho, Boise brings in $7 billion in sales with their integrated paper and wood products. Greenville, South Carolina is home to Bowater, which is the largest producer of U.S. newsprint and directory paper. The Chesapeake Corporation in Richmond, Virginia is a market leader in the sale of specialty packaging and merchandising services.

The world's largest owner of private, merchantable softwood comes from Weyerhaeuser, which makes $12 billion in sales at their headquarters in Tacoma, Washington. Offering the largest integrated producer of paperboard and paper-based packaging products in the world, the Chicago, Illinois-based company, Smurfit-Stone Container is worth $7.1 billion in sales.

Additional companies to seek out in the United States for a forestry job include Rayonier (Jacksonville, Florida), MeadWestvaco (Stamford, Connecticut), Louisiana-Pacific (Portland, Oregon), Kimberly-Clark (Dallas, Texas), and International Paper (Purchase, New York). When looking for careers away from the industrial aspect of the field, major national parks and forests provide satisfying job opportunities.

Labels: Careers in Forestry