What sort of work experience is recommended or required to become an airport manager?

Question

I'm in my second semester in college and starting to think about an aviation management major. What do I need to do besides graduate with a degree to succeed in this business? Also, is this a unreasonable goal for someone with no real airport work experience?

Answer 1

You will never be hired straight out of college to be an airport manager without prior airport experience, unless it is an extremely small rural airport and you know someone who can help you get the position. You'll need to get a substantial amount of work experience as a management assistant or in some type of airport operations to manage a public airport of any substance. There's a lot more to it than you might think. The larger and more complex, the more experience, training and education you'll need.

Pertinent experience can be gained at an FBO or airline, but try to find something in airport operations or administration if you can.  Look into getting an internship for such a position through your college, and take any airport job you can find during your summer break if you can't get an internship. Also try to get a part time position at a local airport while you're studying...just about anything will help your career as long as it is aviation-related. Line service technician ("ramp rat") is a common job to get.

I assume you are taking a degree in aviation management or airport administration with a curriculum of related courses. The public administration and municiple government courses are extremely important, as are classes in personnel management, airport operations, aviation safety, airport regulations, airport security, and so on.  

Good luck. There's great career potential in that field right now.