I recently separated from the USMC as a Sergeant Air Traffic Controller, 30 credits short of my Bachelor's Degree in Aeronautics. Recently relocated back to my hometown of Atlanta, GA with my family. I would really like to get into business analysis and consultation in the aviation industry or logistics in general. I attended Georgia Tech for Undergrad before transferring to Embry-Riddle so I was thinking about their MBA program or George Washington to gain some leverage on the government contracting side of things once I complete my degree in Feb '16. Any thoughts are appreciated. I have seen lots of opportunities for junior officers, do you know of any programs for my situation or should I pursue an internship while I complete my degree over the next 6 months?
Answers
With your degree in Aeronautics and your experience as an Air Traffic Controller, I would imagine that any major airline would be interested in your background. An internship while you are completing your degree will provide you with real world work experience in your area of interest and could possibly open doors to your first job after graduation. Good Luck and unless you are looking to switch your field of work, always lead with your strengths and areas of experience.
Thank you all so much! The answers you all provided were very informative and give me a good azimuth towards achieving my goals. Btw, thank you Adrivel for pointing out my error. I meant to say "small unit leadership", not small. Thank you so much for reassuring me that my skills are valuable in the civilian sector, it seems like I'm having trouble translating my skills to recruiters and hr managers.
Marcus
Thank-you for your service! Todd is right, I have been consulting now for 15 years but getting started is tough. However most small to medium sized private businesses need the type of help you can offer. Most CEO's of these companies don't know how to lead their team and end up holding on to too much of the work.
One of my specialties is Exit Planning, and a big part of Exit Planning is Succession Planning. How will the company transition from one leader to the next. The best way to do that is to develop a strong management team and this requires strong leadership skills.
Perhaps you can find someone in your area that specializes in Exit Planning. See if they would be willing to hire you to help train CEO's how to lead their team and . You gain the skills of consulting and get the experience needed to eventually break out on your own.
Thanks
Dennis
As a technology consultant I can say that consulting can be difficult to break into. It may be helpful to see what consulting positions are available today in aviation, and first find jobs that can give you that experience.
Industry experience will help, as will a broad exposure to the aviation industry. Look for jobs that interface with corporate customers, vendor relationships, decision making, and in-demand areas.
Keep in mind that it's easiest to break into consulting when demand is high for skills. This can be difficult to predict because firms will first see a need internally, won't find the experience the need in house or on the job market, and will turn to consulting firms for this expertise. You don't need this expertise necessarily, but the consulting firm will need to hire to fill demand. This usually precedes greater market demand by 1-2 years.
It also will help to be available in a major metropolitan area, or be willing to travel. Not sure where aviation consultants are most in demand, but am guessing in LA, Chicago, Seattle, DC, Dallas, and perhaps Atlanta.
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