I’m thinking about going back to school to get my A&P license. I need some advice on what route to take.
What is the best school?
Is school even necessary? Should I just learn on the job?
What is the industry looking like right now?
If you search PoA, there are several recent threads on this topic that have more details.
But to get you started:
Best school: whichever one is closest, quickest, and affordable. Usually for most a local community college program fits that bill. However, there was a recent change to the regulations that will potentially allow distance learning for a good portion of the A&P requirements which could change everything.
Is school even necessary?: Yes and no. To get an A&P, no. But without attending a certified school the timeframe to obtain your certificate based on on-the-job-training gets increasingly longer. Or another option is there are a number of aviation companies that have started in-house A&P apprenticeship programs.
What is the industry looking like right now? Good. However, the main shortages are with "experienced" mechanics. Regardless, with a certificate in hand gets you at least in the door. And that includes with some non-aviation companies as well. Good luck.
