A REAL job
After 3 years of school, and two years of looking, my son got an actual, real, genuine, legitimate job.
He really hated school when he was a kid. Part of that Millennial generation that was in the class of 2,000, He has been a theater usher, popcorn guy, and projector operator. A tire installer, a guitar salesman, and a used car salesman. All the jobs were part time. All of this was done while getting married and having two beautiful kids.
He seriously rethought his life several years ago and decided that he wanted to work on airplanes. So he used the currency of having a wife and child to help him get student loans and attend Emery Riddle Aeronautical Institiute in Daytona Beach. Of course, I thought it was just another phase, and really had to hold my nose to co-sign the loans. After all, he had been out of school for 8 years, and nothing had worked out for him.
But I am an old Aviation guy, so I figured it might be in his blood.
To my surprise and pleasure, he excelled in school. We ended up spending many evenings talking about aircraft, instruments, and maintenance. Most of it was over my head, since I haven't flown since he was 6. But it brought us closer together.
He was one of the top students in his Airframe and Powerplant course. I was shocked. When he finished the class he started looking for jobs. No luck. He made things work by watching the kids while his flight attendant wife was out of town for days. And he started fixing cars.
After 5 months he got a temporary job inspecting rides at Universal. It was a very easy, almost unnecessary, temporary job, basically checking for loose wires and bolts on the new Harry Potter ride. Work was from 10 to 4 am six days a week. At least it was a job and helped pay the bills. But he wanted to work on airplanes.
He got a bite for a job with a small Puerto Rican shuttle airline. They wanted him to be an on call maintenance man in case one of their 40 year old planes broke down somewhere in the Caribbean. He knew that he wasn't qualified, and even told the people. But they offered the job anyway. He was smart enough to turn it down.
Then on Wednesday he texted me that he had an interview in Nashville with EMbaer, a Brazilian airline that is expanding into the US. This was a dream job. Full time, good salary, great benefits, and in the US. And he would be working on current passenger jets, with appropriate staff to insure that he was trained in the job. They flew him up for the interview and paid for everything.
Yesterday he called me and told me that he got the job. They want him soon. He won the salary lottery, getting an offer that was 20% higher than he hoped for, and they are paying his travel expenses, including a u-haul, and a minimum of a month at a nice motel while he looks for a place to live. Plus the benefit package is massive.
A REAL job. Finally.
It is nice to see his hard work pay off. Makes a dad proud.
He really hated school when he was a kid. Part of that Millennial generation that was in the class of 2,000, He has been a theater usher, popcorn guy, and projector operator. A tire installer, a guitar salesman, and a used car salesman. All the jobs were part time. All of this was done while getting married and having two beautiful kids.
He seriously rethought his life several years ago and decided that he wanted to work on airplanes. So he used the currency of having a wife and child to help him get student loans and attend Emery Riddle Aeronautical Institiute in Daytona Beach. Of course, I thought it was just another phase, and really had to hold my nose to co-sign the loans. After all, he had been out of school for 8 years, and nothing had worked out for him.
But I am an old Aviation guy, so I figured it might be in his blood.
To my surprise and pleasure, he excelled in school. We ended up spending many evenings talking about aircraft, instruments, and maintenance. Most of it was over my head, since I haven't flown since he was 6. But it brought us closer together.
He was one of the top students in his Airframe and Powerplant course. I was shocked. When he finished the class he started looking for jobs. No luck. He made things work by watching the kids while his flight attendant wife was out of town for days. And he started fixing cars.
After 5 months he got a temporary job inspecting rides at Universal. It was a very easy, almost unnecessary, temporary job, basically checking for loose wires and bolts on the new Harry Potter ride. Work was from 10 to 4 am six days a week. At least it was a job and helped pay the bills. But he wanted to work on airplanes.
He got a bite for a job with a small Puerto Rican shuttle airline. They wanted him to be an on call maintenance man in case one of their 40 year old planes broke down somewhere in the Caribbean. He knew that he wasn't qualified, and even told the people. But they offered the job anyway. He was smart enough to turn it down.
Then on Wednesday he texted me that he had an interview in Nashville with EMbaer, a Brazilian airline that is expanding into the US. This was a dream job. Full time, good salary, great benefits, and in the US. And he would be working on current passenger jets, with appropriate staff to insure that he was trained in the job. They flew him up for the interview and paid for everything.
Yesterday he called me and told me that he got the job. They want him soon. He won the salary lottery, getting an offer that was 20% higher than he hoped for, and they are paying his travel expenses, including a u-haul, and a minimum of a month at a nice motel while he looks for a place to live. Plus the benefit package is massive.
A REAL job. Finally.
It is nice to see his hard work pay off. Makes a dad proud.