Being the third biggest civil aviation and domestic market in the world, the Indian aviation industry currently needs and will always need extensive amounts of manpower in various departments. A sector that's growing at approximately 20% a year is attracting a lot of attention from young higher secondary pass outs, who view it as a highly profitable career. And it's not a trend that's been on the rise in recent years as it has always been one of the most popular areas to get a professional career going.
With 449 airports and 26 airlines operating in the domestic sector across India in addition to over 5000 international airlines all around the world, the aviation market is a goldmine of job opportunities. This is one of the biggest reasons why all government affiliated and private flying schools are offering a wide range of courses that deal with every aspect of flying - from becoming a pilot, the hospitality services and security to on-ground services, airport maintenance and logistics management.
One of the reasons why many have taken a liking for aviation is the fact that most profiles excluding engineering-related jobs don't require a bachelor's degree, as training and experience holds more importance. However, having a degree obviously gives you an upper hand over other candidates during the tedious process of searching for jobs.
The trend in recent years has seen students opt for management courses in aviation and airport operations as the opportunities are growing with each passing day. However, it's not always rosy and smooth-sailing in the aviation sector.
Major airlines have reported heavy losses over the years and continue to do, forcing countless job cuts and cost-cutting measures that have instilled a negative image regarding the civil aviation sector in the minds of those on the cusp of choosing it as a choice of profession. On the flipside, the emergence of new private airlines such as Vistara has considerably eased the situation.
Gone are the days when Tom Cruise from Top gun was the first person that would come to your mind when somebody mentioned the word "pilot". The stereotype of a cockpit being dominated by the men while the cabin crew was reserved for pretty women has well and truly been proven to be inaccurate. With 12% of the members of the fairer sex accomplishing their dreams of flying high, India statistically has the highest number of women pilots in the world.
As repeated innumerable times in this article, though, the vast aviation sector isn't just about the pilots as there are different areas of operations that offer massive scope for remarkable professional development.