Advancement within the UK airline industry can be tough for any professional. Flight engineers often feel stuck in their positions, as they do not have the same high level of direct advancement opportunities as pilots or customer service representatives. However, flight engineers in the United Kingdom have plenty of opportunities available to them outside of their current positions. These professionals just need to know the skills necessary to advance into any job within the industry. Flight engineers can gain financial incentives through hard work, advance to management positions within a flight engineering department, or advance to general airline management.
Flight engineers need to develop a sophisticated knowledge of airline technology and trends within the industry in order to advance. The average UK flight engineer knows everything there is to know about their specific job and the policies of their airline. However, exceptional flight engineers research different plane issues and understand the engineering issues prevalent throughout the airline industry. As well, successful flight engineers get to know the techniques and machinery used by other airlines in the United Kingdom in order to broaden their knowledge base. This knowledge comes in handy when it comes to casual conversation or assessments.
In addition to a broad knowledge of the industry, flight engineers need to develop a network of references in order to advance to higher positions. Engineers should see their colleagues and supervisors as a great first line of references for advancement possibilities within their current company. These professionals know a flight engineer best and can attest to their skills. As well, flight engineers should use every opportunity to attend aviation conferences or events where they can meet professionals outside of their airline. These conferences are not only informative but they allow engineers from different airlines the opportunity to speak about common issues. These conversations can create a mutual respect between engineers, not to mention the networking possibilities.
A final way in which flight engineers can advance within the UK airline industry is to seek out advanced education. Some engineers seek out further qualifications in aviation engineering, which can lead to team management or facility management down the road. Other engineers seek out business administration degrees or similar non-engineering approaches in order to land an administrative job in their future. Many airlines will help their talented engineers seek additional training or education in order to improve their ability to advance. The airline gains an educated employee while a flight engineer gets the chance to move upward quickly.