Apprenticeship Wages

[Mitchel]

I am currently in my first year of of education towards my AME diploma. I have sent some resumes out over the past couple of months for summer employment. I have received a couple of responses. The hourly wages have been all over the place, some as low as $10 an hour, and some as high as $20. I was just curious to find out what a reasonable wage would be for a summer apprentice?

[tibor23]

I made 15 an hour as an apprentice while I was in school, but really any experience you can get while in school is excellent and I wouldn't worry about the wage that much since it'll give you a leg up on your classmates when you graduate.

[still_bluenoser]

I made 10$ It was more than sears was paying, and got some really good experience and a job offer when out of school!
The experience is worth more than the hourly wage while in school.

[Fox 3]

My advice would be to pick a place for the experience and not the wage, you will thank yourself when you graduate. Consider a few things when you are making your decision. What do you want to work on when you graduate? Where do you want to work (both geographically and/or company) If you already know where you want to work then I would take that job in hopes of getting full time employment there when you're done school. Another thing to consider is if you want to work on helicopters make that move right away, it's sometimes hard to make the transition from fixed wing to rotary wing. AES in Whitecourt Ab. would give you a wide range of experience, and I've heard many good things about them.

HTH

~FOX~

[MCRS]

Ditto to Fox 3's post.
By the way how's Southern Alberta these days Fox?
You all still doing great there? Say Hi to everyone there for me!
I'll maybe swing by for a visit when I am back in Canada this Summer.
I'll bring the Doughnuts!

[Mitchel]

Thanks guys. Found a job for the summer up in the Northwest Territories. Really excited!

[MCRS]

Good luck to you in your career. Hope all goes well, and make sure you pack those woolies!

[MZUNGO]

and lots of bug spray

[gonfly'n]

I am in the same position. I did the job that doesn't pay to get a little bit of experience but now i'm ready to move on. I'm not a greedy person, I am only asking to make enough to live. If someones paying a high wage there is a reason for it like theres 3000 people in the town or a bag of milk costs 12 dollars.

[FreaKy_DeaKy]

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beats money, starting out. it may suck at 1st and you might need another job but it pays off in the end, pilots too. good luck dude

[dashguy]

That's kind of flawed logic, why should a guy get paid less than he can afford to live off of just to get experience. I agree that some jobs are a better learning experience for an apprentice than others but the bills need to be paid too. Been there done that, got a great start and left for said reason.

[Mitchel]

Totally agree with you dashguy. The bills do have to be paid. My line of credit will never get paid off making $10 an hour. Those days are over.

[KISS_MY_TCAS]

Well, quite simply if you cannot keep a machine flying in both a timely and effective manner, you are not worth much, the company can actually lose money with low experieced guys on the floor, even at $10/hour. To be able to afford groceries I think is fair, but it takes a few years to realize what you didn't actually know, and how much of a deficit to the employer you actually were. As your career progresses you will be thankful for the opportunity to learn, but the fact of the matter is the licensed guys pulled damage control on you without you knowing, you will realize it later in your career and will be thankful. We all do it, and you will too, remember it in the future when you get a mid-school apprentice tossed on your lap. Fact of the matter is the time works towards your license, which puts you ahead of peers that did not seek aviation for income in between and it puts you in a better position in the future. With time comes wisdom. Don't get me started on wages.....don't wanna go there, but in the future you will understand what you were worth at that particular point in your career. I find myself brushing frustration aside a LOT because the apprentices I work with are in the same position I once was, most AMEs lose touch with where they started. Without mentors and guys to take up the slack, the industry would be doomed. As a guy taking work between years at college, you are not as sharp as you think you are, I promise.

[Mitchel]

Sounds like the apprentices have really gotten to you.

[SinkRate]

Welcome to aviation Mitch................
I see its not very different from the drivin side of things either........your a slave to industry in the beginning.
Better than makin a living driving the sicard for tricky ricky...lol

[qa guy]

sinkrate. Love your motto.................sad but true!

[brap]

EEEIF you wanted to make a lot of money your in the wrong game or at least the wrong end of the game.

[ybp]

Oh, you're in the right end....just stay bent over.

[tiggermoth]

I'll tell you what, you wants to make money in aviation, start manufacturing an dselling PMA'd parts. Some of them are awfully expensive and they can't cost that much to build.

[tiggermoth]

Seriously though, if you can find a decent job where you can make decent money, but get great experience, you win. You will be better off there than somewhere making good money but only marginal experience.

Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience

[ybp]

You said it....but it's not all about the experience. The work environment and the quality of life when you are not at work are also important.

Where I work....Man....we are TIGHT

But seriously...if work is a drag and you hate every minute of it, you might as well not be there. It will give you a wrong impression about the whole industry, especially if you are just starting out and don't know any better.

Yes, you do need to pay the bill, but you also must realize that you are starting at the bottom and things will only get better. There are some careers that the starting wage is better to begin, with but you have to be happy at your job and be able to see into the future a bit.

When you are looking for a company to work for, try to look into the future not just that this job pays $22/hr. Is the management a pain in the ass to work for? Will the company still be around in 10 or 15 years? And what about the base and life when you are not at work?

If your work environment sucks, and you are living is some hell hole camp...life is probably going to be pretty miserable and that $15/hr job won't be looking to bad.

"Work to live; don't live to work"