How GROL may help you in your career
Today’s aircraft are becoming technologically advanced with electronic integrated mechanical components. Airframe and Powerplant certification (A&P) mechanics can not limit themselves by strictly working within the scope of the A&P and not considering the value of the additional certifications. If you plan to be an aircraft maintenance technician (AMT) you will do some maintenance on radio and/or communication type of electronics. Additionally, avionic technicians should also learn the A&P mechanical components so they are multi-faceted team members in any aviation company. Today’s small to mid-size aviation businesses can’t afford to pay two different type of technicians. These companies may cut costs by hiring employees or hold onto employees that hold multiple certifications or licenses. An aircraft technician who obtains the A&P and GROL will become a valuable team member and improve their career opportunities.
An A&P mechanic which also holds a GROL will look favorable and this strategy should get your resume moved to the top, filtering out any competition without these credentials. Obtaining these licenses also shows the employer that you can dedicate your drive to a certification plan to gain required industry knowledge. Ambition and commitment are the type of personality traits employers seek when looking to build a great team.
Not only does this help you in the private sector, this may help you improve your opportunities in the military as well. Today’s Air Force is evaluating Airmen now on who will be promoted. This will help your application when you submit to education training positions. Ultimately, you’ll have tangible evidence of increasing your knowledge and dedicated to self-improvement.
Avionic technicians should seek to get licensed in GROL or any other related certification in their field. In order to stay competitive, many of these technicians are also seeking the A&P. Avionics technicians are some of the highest paid maintainers in the aviation industry when they hold multiple certifications. You can still get great job as a civilian military contractor and not need either license to apply for these positions. Although personally, I wouldn’t take the chance of being passed up by someone that took the time and resources to get either license. In stark contrast to military contracts, many civilian companies require that a candidate obtain both before being able to submit an application.
If you are currently serving in the Armed Forces it is wise to obtain these licenses with funding assistance from any of the AFCOOL, NAVYCOOL or ArmyCOOL benefits. This is your money that comes out of your paycheck in the form of taxes. So, use it to set yourself up when transitioning into the private sector. The military offers many opportunities to obtain training, testing and certifications that directly translate to the civilian sector. If you currently work on military aircraft, you know our latest aircraft are fly-by- wire and even the older aircraft are being upgraded with new technology. The longer the government keeps these aging aircraft around, they will continue to upgrade avionics and mechanical components through modifications and upgrade packages. Everything you learn maintaining existing military aircraft prepares you to take a quick refresher course and easily pass licensing exams. An aircraft mechanic just needs some basic knowledge of electronics and radar to obtain the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) GROL. All the training was provided at tech school and simply needs a little reminder to resurface.