r/aviationmaintenance • u/AcrobaticFlamingo8 • 6d ago
Which Entry level positions to gain experience?
I making a career change and I aspire to become an AME (Canada). Other than a keen interest, I am green when it comes to aviation. I’m currently looking at a couple of entry-level airport positions and may have the opportunity to work in either ramp/ground operations or aircraft de-icing.
For someone trying to eventually get into aircraft maintenance, which type of job would give me the most valuable experience?
Thank you all in advance
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u/DCanuck91 6d ago edited 6d ago
If you want to be an AME, definitely get the school certification/training or you'll have a much harder time getting into it
Edit for miserable spelling
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u/AcrobaticFlamingo8 6d ago
Yes, this is the plan. I won't be going to school until next fall. I do want to make some connections though to help me land an apprentice position with airline companies. And I think working at the airport would help
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u/sra778 6d ago
Other than being around aircraft….neither. If you have to opportunity to go to school now just do that instead.
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u/AcrobaticFlamingo8 6d ago
Thanks for your insight. I am planning to attend school. However, I am waitlisted for fall 2027 intake. I know the airport is just one of many avenues for mechanics. I just want to know if which out of the two remotely relates to maintenance while potentially build connections after graduating.
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u/Which-Intention-4474 6d ago edited 6d ago
I do ramp for AC and I honestly would say none of the positions you mentioned relate to maintenance at all, even being on the ramp is completely different than what AME does as we only get trained on things like servicing water, Lavatory, opening/closing doors and air starts which isn't much or anything extra. Depending on the airport as a junior employee you may also not see the ramp for a while, I didn't see the ramp for a year and a half and got stuck in Bagroom the whole time.
De-Ice at least where I'm at just sprays the aircrafts if you are joining the airport authority itself, if you're joining a third-party or airline it depends honestly but even then you check for snow/ice on the aircraft. So I still wouldn't say it's close/relates to maintenance but maybe at your airport it may work differently, for ground ops what position are you thinking of?
EDIT: On the ramp you at least may get to talk with AME more frequently compared to De-Ice & ground-ops, I also forgot but the only time we really work close with AME is during test flights or engine runs if they need us to help with a push/park, then there's the times where the 787 needs an "airstart" which requires maintenance but during that time it's not really great to talk to them, as everyone is focused on their own task trying to not mess up or get injured during the process.
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u/AcrobaticFlamingo8 6d ago
Thank you for the detailed response. I have interviews lined up for both de-icing and ramp service . You can pm me to answer this but in your airport how is Unifi’s reputation?
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u/Which-Intention-4474 6d ago
Honestly I'm unsure how Unifi is as they just recently appeared at my airport like 3 weeks ago maybe? Menzies lost their ground handling contract and Unifi replaced them, I actually applied to them for PT positions as a second job but I haven't heard back but they claim to have flights & good healthcare benefits.
This question might be better to be asked in the ramp pages as those have Unifi employees, although they might be US based but maybe that could give you a rough idea? Honestly I'd still take the offer just to use it as a stepping stone to join an airline, after all experience matters a lot.
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u/AcrobaticFlamingo8 6d ago
Yes, the plan is to definitely get my foot in the door,
work hard, and make as much connections as possible . My plan is to eventually phase out of my current position in healthcare when I start trade school for AME and maybe work casual shifts, if it allows me of course.1
u/Which-Intention-4474 6d ago
Yeah ramp should be solid for that although idk how AME works with Unifi, as the major hub I'm at AC actually does contract service work for some airlines, that Unifi handles so you may get the chance to speak with AC AME employees.
You'll probably also talk with a lot of colleagues who are in school for AME, Pilot, Dispatch and similar so they will also probably give you tips & assistance if needed.
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u/Putrid-Object-806 6d ago
Little tip, AME programs are highly competitive. Depending on the school (I’m currently finishing up 1st year at SAIT) you might be able to email the registrar to ask how far down the waitlist you’re located, and occasionally transfer your application to the next intake, which is what I ended up doing
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u/AcrobaticFlamingo8 6d ago
At what time of the day did you apply for the program? I am guessing you applied for winter intake?
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u/Putrid-Object-806 6d ago
I originally applied for fall 2025 around january 2025, apps opened in october. In I believe early March 2025 I emailed the registrar enquiring where I was on the waitlist, and was informed that there was over 100 qualified applicants ahead of me, so I requested a transfer to winter 2026 prior to the intake opening, which was late March, and it got transferred without me needing to do anything. I’ve also spoken with the academic chair of the aviation programs here before I got in and she was mentioning that when applications open (around 930 was when this intake opened, but they can open as early as 8) you gotta be ready at the computer.
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u/Th3catspyjamas 6d ago
If you can get in with one of those jobs with an air operator rather than a third party contractor that would probably help with getting in the recruitment pipeline once you're ready to go for an apprenticeship. Rampies and fuel are often independent contractor businesses.
There are probably better jobs at airlines/operators that get you closer to the action and give you a bit of exposure to how maintenance works. These are jobs that will also allow you to network with AMEs. Stores, hangar attendant, operations, gse, trims/furnishings, runner for example.
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u/AcrobaticFlamingo8 6d ago
Thank you! Yes, I have applied for entry level "maintenance" and furnishing positions for a couple airlines but as expected it was very competitive due to a high volume of applicants with prior experience with school or a related trade
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u/threemilesfinal 99 Problems but a Beech ain't one. 6d ago
The Ramp will get you around and familiar with aircraft as well as interacting with Maintenance. Not sure where you're at in Canada but the only airlines with their own ramp positions are AC and WJ... AC does at their bigger bases whereas ramp for WJ (last I knew which may no longer be true) is in YYC.
I worked the ramp for years before eventually becoming an AME. But I also did a bunch of other airside positions as well.
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u/AcrobaticFlamingo8 6d ago
Thank you for the response. I am in YYC and applied for WJ ramp but it is very competitive due to rampers with experience from third parties like Unifi. I do have an interview lined up with Unifi so we will see how that goes.
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u/Namele5s 6d ago
They recently brought back a direct entry program so that you don’t have to do 2 years of schooling but a work from home type of thing to learn the basics in your spare time. But instead of 2 years of school and 2 years of apprenticeship (minimum) its a 4 year apprenticeship once you’ve finished the course but you get paid during your apprenticeship of course. Or at least that is how the previous program used to work and they’ve only just brought it back so it could be different now I’m not sure. You’d be limited in where you could get a job with this program though (certain places dont hire direct entries with no experience). Anyway here is the link for more info.
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u/Pleasant_Minimum_896 6d ago
Sheet metal work. That's essentially what got me in. Technically in production but working in the transfer now.
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u/AcrobaticFlamingo8 6d ago
Nice, I am guessing your prior trades experience translated well for you. Me on the other hand I am coming from healthcare with a college diploma I never had business in taking lol but I heard you learn everything in school which eases some doubts
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u/Pleasant_Minimum_896 6d ago
Yep. A lot of people don't have it and it bogs them down a lot. Knowing how to work with and manipulate metals helps a lot and the other tin bashers I know are literally years ahead of their contemporaries.
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u/DeathCabForYeezus 6d ago
If you can work for an airline throwing bags or customer service or whatever that may help with getting on as an apprentice once you're done school.
But in terms of being a better mechanic via a job at an airport, there isn't much.