Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be thank'd

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menfive
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Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be thank'd

Post by menfive »

Hello! Wow! I'm soo glad to found this website! I haven't read a lot of threads yet, but seems very informative to me.

Just to give a little bit of my background information.. I'm working as accounting associate (intermediate, was going through CGA requirements, etc) , mid 20's.. have a college diploma. However, I'm ready to change my career path and my goal is to becoming AME-M technician.

I have googled and found some info regarding to some of colleges that offer programs which are accredited.

I'd like to know if going to certain schools will be important matter? Will employers tend to hire more from certain school than the others due to school's reputation or education?

I have applied, in fact, to Centennial for AME-M and Canadore M programs and both offered me programs. I'm currently living in Oakville, Ontario, but since I have saved some money from work, I think I will be able to live either on or off campus along with tuition fees.

Also, I'd like to ask if anyone could tell the industry's trend/future for AME-M.. ( I know it's very vague and sensitive question but it probably the most important question for someone trying to get into the field)

In fact, any advice will be valuable to me! Thanks for reading my thread in advance! Have a great day!


p.s. Has anyone experienced living in residence at either Centennial or Canadore? If so, was it worth? Is Res far away from the campus?
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CentCollStud1234
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by CentCollStud1234 »

Hi Menfive :
I am kinda on the same boat. I saw another similar thread.
check out the thread "Mohawk vs Centennial" just a few thread below. Many of the answers provided may help you out.
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longjon
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by longjon »

be sure to read ALL the posts on AME salary, lay offs, shift work and more before you commit to going to school for this trade. I;d go to all the local shops and inquire to their hiring expectations in the future and the salary to expect. I;ts not the job for some.
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212wrench
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by 212wrench »

Be sure to read all the posts on salaries, working conditions, etc and note that it is the same people whining and complaining about their miserable lives. Happy people tend to not post on forums as they have lives and better things to do. I come her for the comic relief. Go ahead, make me laugh!! :lol:
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chowda
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by chowda »

I come her for the comic relief. Go ahead, make me laugh!! :lol:

Im looking for a laugh, so why don't you let us all know what it is you tell your students that comes out so opposite to what the majority opinion is here? Same few guys always preaching how great it is also.
I'd say its a very mediocre industry at best with better choices out there, but im not a m1/m2 instructor so im not so concerned in scaring away new enrollment with not so great experiences in aviation .
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DonutHole
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by DonutHole »

I graduated from his class, what did he tell us? Well I'll tell you what he didn't tell us: he didn't tell us that we were entitled to anything thing more than we worked for.

Every person in our class got a job right out of school, literally started the day after classes ended. We all now work for some of the most respected operators in our chosen field. I took the lowest paying job working on ga aircraft and I made 37890 my first year out of school. Two of my friends and classmates made close to 50000 straight out of this guys class.

Whatever this guy told us... It worked.

If you are a guy who can make things work for you then you can definitely make it in this industry. By the time i am licensed I will be making around 55 thousand a year, and that is for working on small aircraft living a lifestyle of my choosing... If you can't make it work for you then we will probably see you back here bitching about how undervalued you feel.

Are there better career choices out there? Sure, I've heard about all the other wonderful trades out there where there is a virtual pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but it's a matter of perspective... Do I care that you feel you are undervalued? No, because I feel that ford what I do I am paid fairly, if your opinion differs well that is your prerogative, but please don't project your own misgivings based on your poor experience on the rest of the industry... A wise man once said that those who are happy with their life don't come and sing from the peaks about it on the Internet... And to that I say

Riiiiiicooooollllllaaaaaa!!!!!
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chowda
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by chowda »

By the time i am licensed I will be making around 55 thousand a year
Is this with "one of the most respected operators in your chosen field"?

So it looks like the key to content in aviation is lower expectations. Have fun trying to buy a house with no wheels on it. I guess thats why the excitement when anybody in maintenance get's close to 100g a year. Its double the average signing out airplanes for 55 a year.
Im sorry, but that is just sad. I do see now how encore came up with there hourly ame wages. you guys come out of school aiming right at them.

edit - I was curious about trying to buy a house at 55 a year. Went to rbc mortgage calculator, entered 55g annual, 10g down, 15g student loan, no car payment or credit card debt, single earner. the MAX you can get at 4% earning 55g a year with 10g down is $202,000 over 30 years, the longest term you can get. that wasnt figuring in everyother expense day to day living.

like I said, have fun,unless you want to rent forever or keep living with parents. :|
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fixnfly
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by fixnfly »

212wrench wrote:Be sure to read all the posts on salaries, working conditions, etc and note that it is the same people whining and complaining about their miserable lives. Happy people tend to not post on forums as they have lives and better things to do. I come her for the comic relief. Go ahead, make me laugh!! :lol:
+1
chowda wrote:Went to rbc mortgage calculator, entered 55g annual

like I said, have fun,unless you want to rent forever or keep living with parents. :|

Really? 55G is starting for an AME. Who makes 55g without increase for the rest of their lives?? It goes well into the 70-90k range after 5-10 years experience. Hey 212 I found a whiner.
menfive wrote:
I'd like to know if going to certain schools will be important matter? Will employers tend to hire more from certain school than the others due to school's reputation or education?

I have applied, in fact, to Centennial for AME-M and Canadore M programs and both offered me programs. I'm currently living in Oakville, Ontario, but since I have saved some money from work, I think I will be able to live either on or off campus along with tuition fees.

Also, I'd like to ask if anyone could tell the industry's trend/future for AME-M.. ( I know it's very vague and sensitive question but it probably the most important question for someone trying to get into the field)

In fact, any advice will be valuable to me! Thanks for reading my thread in advance! Have a great day!


p.s. Has anyone experienced living in residence at either Centennial or Canadore? If so, was it worth? Is Res far away from the campus?
It doesnt really matter where you go to college. They are all pretty much the same. As long as you do well and get atleast 70% in all your courses, you will be awarded 18 months of accreditation towards 48 months of required apprenticing time before you can apply for your AME-M license. The 18 months accreditation is all that employers are really looking for. Just proves your compentent enough to complete the courses in school and are ready for the real learning experiences. I personally believe that there already is a shortage of licensed AMEs. Not so much apprentices so it might be a bit difficult to find a job initially out of school in the east. The west is booming though, almost everyone is getting hired out of school. I am quite enjoying my time in the field so far. Honestly it does not pay as much as other industrys but the pay is steadily increasing in this industry and you get to do what you love. (I think thats more of a pilots saying) PM me if you have any other questions as they will likely be shot down in this thread by those who hate this industry.
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DonutHole
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by DonutHole »

chowda wrote:
By the time i am licensed I will be making around 55 thousand a year
Is this with "one of the most respected operators in your chosen field"?

So it looks like the key to content in aviation is lower expectations. Have fun trying to buy a house with no wheels on it. I guess thats why the excitement when anybody in maintenance get's close to 100g a year. Its double the average signing out airplanes for 55 a year.
Im sorry, but that is just sad. I do see now how encore came up with there hourly ame wages. you guys come out of school aiming right at them.

edit - I was curious about trying to buy a house at 55 a year. Went to rbc mortgage calculator, entered 55g annual, 10g down, 15g student loan, no car payment or credit card debt, single earner. the MAX you can get at 4% earning 55g a year with 10g down is $202,000 over 30 years, the longest term you can get. that wasnt figuring in everyother expense day to day living.

like I said, have fun,unless you want to rent forever or keep living with parents. :|
lol.

28 bucks an hour for fixing cessnas and supercubs, seems fair to me. The only thing holding me back from 80k a year is my lack of ambition. If I wanted, I know exactly what I would need to do to get there but the simple fact is, I like my no shift work, 8-5 lifestyle too much to sacrifice all the other things the time away from home would impact should I chase the big money.

As far as a house goes... meh, I could take it or leave it. I'm sure all those rig welders in calgary are super happy they had a huge liability now that they are stuck with a worthless house with no recourse. BTW: I bought a house last year for 80000, no wheels :) It's not big, but the backyard does have a 2 bay garage perfect for building my RV8 in.
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chowda
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by chowda »

I don't know where your getting your numbers from but most fixed wing contractors only get 35 a hour. Only company I know of not in the north paying 80g a year to experienced mechs is westjet. why dont you tell us which m1 operator is paying 80-90g a year @ 40 hrs a week? Im just shy of 20 years experience with large jet and small +mid size turboprop endorsements and the only way i've seen to make 90 a year is busting my ass in the north with perdiums. Guys in yvr crewchiefing for commuters make low 30's so please tell me who is paying that sort of money fixing cessna's in a normal 40 hr week. rv8 in a two car garage, I understand better now, your an enthusiast, not a realist. youd probably do this for free. I wouldnt and dont so I guess that makes me a whiner.
never said I hate it, but mediocre at best is life as a ame as most non enthusiasts will tell you. that is the reality and if thats all you want in life from something generally tends to take over your life then go for it.
I wouldnt do it over again.
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DonutHole
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by DonutHole »

chowda wrote:I don't know where your getting your numbers from but most fixed wing contractors only get 35 a hour. Only company I know of not in the north paying 80g a year to experienced mechs is westjet. why dont you tell us which m1 operator is paying 80-90g a year @ 40 hrs a week? Im just shy of 20 years experience with large jet and small +mid size turboprop endorsements and the only way i've seen to make 90 a year is busting my ass in the north with perdiums. Guys in yvr crewchiefing for commuters make low 30's so please tell me who is paying that sort of money fixing cessna's in a normal 40 hr week. rv8 in a two car garage, I understand better now, your an enthusiast, not a realist. youd probably do this for free. I wouldnt and dont so I guess that makes me a whiner.
never said I hate it, but mediocre at best is life as a ame as most non enthusiasts will tell you. that is the reality and if thats all you want in life from something generally tends to take over your life then go for it.
I wouldnt do it over again.
35 an hour is almost seventy thousand a year!

In my previous reply I noted that if I wanted to make more I would have to give up the 8-5 lifestyle to make the big money. I personally dont know anybody who is paying 80k a year for fixing cessnas, never claimed to. If I wanted that kind of money I would instantly switch up to fling wing where that kind of money is easily attainable if you are willing to work god awful shifts in god awful places.

The only way that I know of to make more money is to either work harder or work dirtier, neither of which I am really interested in. I probably could be making more money as a carpenter or as a plumber, or as an electrician but all of those trades come with certain drawbacks that I dislike.

As far as being an enthusiast, for sure I am. I am enthusiastic about aviation. Would I do it for free? NO, but I am also not feeling a lot of shame for loving what I do and accepting what I am paid to do it. Would I like to make more for doing the same thing as I am right now, sure, why not, but the realist part of me says that the difficulty level of my job means that it is not realistic to expect much more.
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NeverBlue
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by NeverBlue »

Be sure to read all the posts on salaries, working conditions, etc and note that it is the same people whining and complaining about their miserable lives. Happy people tend to not post on forums as they have lives and better things to do. I come her for the comic relief. Go ahead, make me laugh!!
+2 :lol:
As far as a house goes... meh, I could take it or leave it. I'm sure all those rig welders in calgary are super happy they had a huge liability now that they are stuck with a worthless house with no recourse. BTW: I bought a house last year for 80000, no wheels It's not big, but the backyard does have a 2 bay garage perfect for building my RV8 in
+1

Mine was $98,000, with a pool and a double detached in the back yard for all my toys. (My house on wheels was more)

...guess I only have to make $25,000 this year...
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iflyforpie
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by iflyforpie »

Well... why don't you enlighten us chowda and tell me of another trades-type career that pays just as well or better without having to board a crew bus or a crew plane or go to Ft McNowhere for weeks at a time?

Sure, my trades contractor buddies do a little better than I do.... they spend lots of times on the road, and it is feast and famine... with lots of famine in this area lately with unfinished developments and unpaid subcontractors. Perhaps an automotive journeyman might... but I don't see any real difference in quality of life... plus they have to work a lot harder.

Then there are those who have stuck it rich and broke the 100K barrier--every working schlub's dream. But why are they still living paycheque to paycheque with debt out the wazoo? They're getting raped by the tax man in the upper $50K because they aren't investing any of it, and they are blowing it all on frivolities... gotta have the new diesel truck and the fifth wheel and the sleds and the quads and the six pack everyday to watch my big TV.... and my life still sucks, but at least it isn't as bad as that guy making $50K. Wait, how did he afford a house? How did he start a business? Why does he enjoy life more than me?

Its all in the outlook. Generally, the guys who slog it out on M2 stuff are the worst for that... I know, I used to be one of them. Plus, I can't really put a price on what GA has allowed me to do, like take winters off, go to just about every kid's activity, never work a graveyard, no chemicals, opportunity for other business ventures. I consider myself an enthusiast too... which has gained me an airplane for very little investment.

My first house was $97,000.... no wheels. :D
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bombardierfixer
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by bombardierfixer »

I'm a kool-aid drinker. I like the job, hours kinda suck but until we can convince people to fly at night it is what it is. I broke easily through the 100K barrier this year with very little OT ( I try to bank as much as possible and take it off later). Yeah I'm a M2 guy and I work for a airline. But the last 13 years have been pretty good, a couple hiccups here and there. You'll find the lovers, haters ect.

Have fun, good luck.
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Schimunga
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by Schimunga »

DonutHole wrote:I probably could be making more money as a carpenter or as a plumber, or as an electrician but all of those trades come with certain drawbacks that I dislike.
Like fishing a tampon out of a plugged toilet on a Saturday night? Awesome!!! Sign me up.

Actually I like where I am now. I worked hard to to get here and I'm seeing the rewards of my hard work. For instance my schedule. I work 3 weeks on/3 weeks off and making about $80 000. Not bad for working half of the year I would think. Yes I have to go to some remote places but when I get home I got 3 weeks off. 3 weeks! Most people have to work 50 weeks a year to get 2 weeks off. To me that is a huge bonus. Most of my friends are green with envy with my schedule. During that time I can fix whatever I need to around the house when I fell like it, can go to a movie on a Tuesday afternoon if I want, go golfing whenever I want, take as long as I want to walk my dogs and take the afternoon to prepare a wonderful meal for my fiance(and finish off a bottle of wine doing it). I like the things this job gives me and it isn't just money.
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DonutHole
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by DonutHole »

I could really get into that kind of schedule. It would be awesome to get off work, fly to guatemala and live on a sailboat every three weeks.

As it is now I am enjoying the GA lifestyle. I can take a month off during our god awful winters and go somewhere nice with palm trees and drinks with little umbrellas.

No matter where you work, which trade you are involved with you will always run into the people who want more for what they do... it's just part of life.
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menfive
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by menfive »

I really appreciate your valuable opinions&info, guys! It really helped me a lot!
I will be attending centennial for their M program this fall and I firmly set my goal on becoming AME-M now.
Have a good one everyone! :)
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SeptRepair
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by SeptRepair »

Hey schimunga, do you have kids?
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SeptRepair
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by SeptRepair »

Ifly4pie life style pretty much mirrors mine. I know lots of guys making more then me working rotations. But I too have never missed an xmas, birthday or kid activity. I cant put a price tag on what that means to me to be home every night. I dont begrudge the guys that do it, but the ones with a wife and kids at home are the most miserable. The single guys love it.
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NeverBlue
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Re: Choosing college to become AME-M, any advice will be tha

Post by NeverBlue »

Like fishing a tampon out of a plugged toilet on a Saturday night? Awesome!!! Sign me up.
:lol: ...ya but it's good money :P


Great post Schimunga
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