career change

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Benw

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Benw
I have been thinking about a career change. I am 29, I have a Bachelors in Psychology. I am thinking about getting my A&P and Avionics license. I am juggling between going to grad school for Aviation Psychology or getting the associates degree to work on planes.

My question: is there a graduate program in electrical something or other that I can also get my A&P license? to me, it seems like going back to school for an associates degree after already getting a Bachelors seems a little odd.
 
Some colleges may offer an Associates degree in conjunction with an A&P certificate, but there's no need to have any degree, the A&P is all you need.
 
Check your local community college for a A&P program. It's the cheapest route to go. There's technically no avionics certificate but some employers want to see an FCC certificate but in all the electrical/avionics work I've done as an A&P never needed it. No degree needed for A&P but you might luck out and find a CC that gives you best of all worlds. Good luck.
 
You can study for free to get the FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License which allows you to tinker with radios. The A&P can be had in 11-12 months at a good dedicated school. Missionary School of Aviation Technology (MSAT) in Ionia, MI comes to mind. There is another one in Indiana. Do it, do well, and see if the 12 or so months was worth it. If it doesn’t end up being your cup of tea then you’ll still be employable in the MH field.


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I don’t think there’s a field currently more in demand. Guy I know who owns local shop is looking all over to hire A&P’s. Apparently get gobbled up by airlines pretty quick. Seems like great sustainable work.
 
I had a bachelors degree and went back and got my A&P in my mid-late 20s. In my class(community college program, so cheap) there were guys out of high school, but also a 60 year old retired auto mechanic, 2 mid career engineers(EE and CE), machinists and pilots. So you will fit right in. After my A&P I took machining and electronics classes at other community colleges, which were amazing. The second class of electronics had us building circuits on breadboards. I suggest you get the A&P first, because that is your legal ace in the hole, and then take a full electronics technician program at a JC/CC. If you can somehow do both at the same time, you’ll be able to write your own ticket out of the gate. There are bachelors degrees in Electronics engineering but you don’t need that. The industry needs hands on techs, which is what a CC Electronics technician program is for. So, A&P school first, and Electronics Technology full program either concurrently or immediately after. This day and age, the GROL/FCC test won’t do crap for you in a real avionics setting. Do both at a JC, don’t bother with a private college which will put you in debt. If you can’t spare the time for a full Electronics program, take a few classes and take this test:
https://www.astm.org/CERTIFICATION/filtrexx40.cgi?-P+PROG+10+cert_detail.frm

It is an advanced certification being recognized in the industry now.
 
The GROL appears to be a hiring minimum for some major firms. Also, for example, to open up a KT-76A and legally change the internal fuse, you’ll need your GROL or equivalent. The GROL isn’t rocket science. Just study the elements over a weekend and take the test Monday. I’m glad my hangar fairy has his GROL amongst other ratings.


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