Most jobs in the airline industry require you to have a high school education or complete an equivalent certification. Some careers, however, require college degrees or some other sort of specialized training. To actually get a job in the airline industry, you need to apply for an open position at an airline or a related travel agency. Most jobs in this particular industry also require you to live near a major travel hub, but some jobs, such as reservation agents, may allow you to work remotely.
Flight attendant careers are among the most visible and most popular jobs within the airline industry. In order to qualify for any number or airline attendant jobs, you must have a high school diploma and be certified by the appropriate airline authorities. In the United States, certification is provided through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Some airlines also prefer applicants to have a college degree in such disciplines as nursing, psychology, hospitality or some other helping profession before becoming a flight attendant.
Pilot careers are also very popular airline industry jobs. Pilots must first be trained either by the military or by another government certified school of instruction, and all must have a license before applying for work for an airline. Before being able to access training, however, pilots must first be college educated and be competent in physics and math, as well as aeronautical engineering. In rare, but select cases, airlines may hire pilots with only a high school diploma if all other educational, training and certification requirements are met.
To work as a reservationist or a ticketing agent within the airline industry, you will also most likely need a high school diploma or an equivalent certification. These airline industry jobs are often located in major metropolitan cities, with several of them located within major airports. Occasionally, however, some may work at individual travel offices or may telecommute full or part time.
If you’d like to work in the airline industry as an aircraft mechanic in the United States, you must have a high school diploma, be fluent in English and receive training from an FAA-certified trade school. Excelling in subjects such as computer science, math and physics also helps qualify you for training and eventual employment in the airline industry. After being trained, you will also be required to be certified as an aircraft mechanic by the FAA before you can be hired by an airline.