The salary in the field of Aeronautical Engineering is considered high, but the enrollment quota is limited, the training process is long, and the work is stressful, making it less chosen by young people, leading to a shortage of human resources.
Aeronautical engineering is a field that provides high-quality technical human resources in the field of aircraft maintenance and repair.
Mr. Ta Minh Trong, Head of the Flight Safety Standards Department, Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, said that personnel in this industry can receive a salary of 15-20 million VND per month with elementary qualifications, doing simple tasks such as changing oil and tires on aircraft. For those with B1, B2 certificates (aircraft maintenance technical certificates) and can sign confirmation after completing maintenance work, the salary can be up to 50 million VND, or even higher.
Although considered a high-paying industry, Aerospace Engineering is in dire need of human resources, as the industry recovers strongly after the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, training is limited because it is a specialized industry, with high tuition fees and long training periods.
Mr. Ta Minh Trong, Head of Flight Safety Standards Department, Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, shared about human resource needs in the Aviation Engineering industry, May 23. Photo: Duong Tam
According to statistics from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, compared to the period before Covid-19 (2019), this year's air transport market increased by 1% in the number of passengers and 14.8% in cargo. Of which, domestic transport has increased beyond 2019. It is forecasted that by the end of this year, the international market will also recover to the same level as before the pandemic.
At a workshop on training and human resource needs in the aviation engineering industry organized by the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH) on May 23, Mr. Trong said that Vietnam currently has 13 airlines with nearly 280 aircraft and 15 engineering and maintenance companies. However, with the current infrastructure, Vietnam only has VAECO, a subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines, with unlimited aircraft maintenance capacity. Most airlines have to take their aircraft abroad for maintenance.
The Long Thanh airport project is being implemented with 16 hectares reserved for the construction of 16 hangars (aircraft workshops), and airlines also have plans to develop their fleets.
"This shows that the demand for human resources in the Aviation Engineering industry is currently very large," said Mr. Trong.
Mr. Nguyen Chien Thang, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Airlines, said that the unit needs to recruit 100 more engineers each year for the aircraft maintenance company. When the maintenance facility in Long Thanh is put into operation, the number of engineers needed could double or triple.
"Vietnam does not have overall statistics on the number of aviation engineers still lacking, but the entire Southeast Asian market will need to add about 60,000 technical staff in the next 20 years because the number of aircraft will almost double," said Mr. Thang.
USTH students do internship at VAECO company. Photo: Minh Duc/USTH
The "thirst" for human resources in the field of Aviation Engineering is unlikely to be resolved soon. Vietnam has a few universities that train in Aviation Engineering but the number of students is small, such as Hanoi University of Science and Technology (40 students per year), Hanoi University of Science and Technology (50), Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (100), Vietnam Aviation Academy (140).
Associate Professor Dr. Ngo Quang Minh, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Aviation, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, said that the school cooperates with Vietnam Airlines, the French Aerospace Institute (IAS) in training with financial support from Airbus Group, but cannot enroll more students due to the specific requirements of the training program.
This industry is also difficult to attract candidates because it is a narrow industry, with few career options after graduation. High tuition fees can also be a barrier. For example, at USTH, tuition fees are 100 million VND per year, double that of other industries.
Mr. Nguyen Chien Thang said that in addition to the time spent studying at university, aircraft maintenance staff who want to have B1 and B2 certificates must be trained for another 4-5 years. To work independently and be able to sign aircraft maintenance books, they must study for the same amount of time as doctors.
Mr. Nguyen Chien Thang, representative of Vietnam Airlines, shared at the conference on May 23. Photo: Duong Tam
High salary but great pressure also makes the aviation engineering industry unattractive. Mr. Ta Minh Trong emphasized that aircraft maintenance is a special job, working in a highly disciplined environment with strict requirements and demands on knowledge and health.
"For example, imagine having to work all summer in temperatures up to 50-60 degrees Celsius," Mr. Trong gave an example.
The representative of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said he did not want to paint a "rosy picture" to attract students to compensate for the shortage of human resources in the aviation engineering industry. However, he affirmed that students with passion and perseverance will have great career opportunities with attractive salaries.
In addition to working domestically, students can go abroad if they have good professional qualifications and foreign languages because the shortage of aviation engineering human resources is a global problem after the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Mr. Trong.
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