Business schools have been revered for their rigorous training and its capacity to build and create bosses and leaders of various industries. But a new industry is poised to become the next top producers of billionaires, tycoons, and leaders of the future – the aviation industry.
Contrary to popular belief, Aviation is more than pilots and airplanes. It is a dynamic international industry. According to a report by the Oxford Economics, it has an annual turnover of more than $1 trillion US dollars and employs over 5.5 million workers worldwide. Suppose that the industry is a country, it would rank just about 21st in the world in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), thanks to its US $425 billion GDP, even larger than some of the world’s top 20 economic powers.
Even better, thanks to the Association of South East Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) latest move, the Single Aviation Market or the Open Skies policy, starting this year the Philippine aviation industry would enjoy over a 100,000 job opening for pilots, technicians, and everyone else involved in the aviation business. This creates a new and wider spectrum of opportunities not just for people already working for the aviation industry, but also those who are interested in the prospect yet lack knowledge on the stability and chances for employment.
The fact remains, aviation is business. After all, it did not become the economic juggernaut that it is now through sheer piloting and engineering alone. Just as a company innovates itself, the evolution that the aviation industry underwent since man’s first flight is also the result of a collective decision based on public needs, and logical and empirical observations. It is the culmination of years of effective business management at its finest.
Now, for people with a knack for business and a thirst for flight, you’ll be happy to know that many aviation schools offer a degree in what we call aviation management.
Essentially, aviation management is a business course with a specialization in the aviation industry. According to study.com, a degree in aviation management provides individuals with the education necessary to oversee the departments of airlines and airports. Aviation managers are in charge of planning, and supervising maintenance and safety programs, as well as handling the allocation of budget for the airport or the airline’s facilities.
In 2013, in yet another study done by Oxford Economics, as commissioned by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), they were able to determine the economic footprint of the aviation industry in over 54 countries. According to the results, the Philippine aviation sector contributes 2.4% or P35 billion to the country’s GDP. Now with ASEAN’s Open Skies policy, plus an open support from the Philippine government, the prospect for growth for local aviation is almost limitless.
Luckily, school’s like WCC Aeronautical and Technological college offers a wide range of courses in aviation, including aviation management. Now, aviation enthusiasts with business acumen no longer need to choose between enrolling in aviation school or business school. They can have the best of both worlds with aviation management!