DiscoverU Classroom to Career Day: Q&A with Aviation Maintenance Technology Alum Elizabeth Thompson
South Seattle College is excited to be partnering with the Road Map Project again this year for our annual Discover U Week; a week to build excitement around college and career exploration. South is joining educational and community organizations across the region to support our students and community members as they explore their futures and think about how education and training will help them reach their academic and career goals.
To celebrate the power of an education in getting our students into a career they love, we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Thompson, 29, a 2017 Aviation Maintenance Technology graduate and current General Aviation Technician. A native of Boise, Idaho, after moving to Seattle to develop technical experience outside her mechanical engineering degree, Elizabeth soon discovered her love of hands-on, aviation maintenance and repair. Today, she works with her team at Boeing Field to ensure the safety of passengers flying Kenmore Air.
Q: Why did you choose to enroll in South’s Aviation Maintenance Technology program?
A: Before coming to South I first received my bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Gonzaga University. After which I worked a lot of design jobs in the industry and really didn’t enjoy them, I was so bored! I also couldn’t get hired for any technical jobs because I didn’t have the experience. Finally, I decided to put in my two weeks and try to get some technical experience.
I had friends who lived in Seattle so I made the move out here and found out South had an aviation program, and I’d always loved planes. South had everything I wanted. It had a good location, good reviews online, and it was the only Seattle-based school who had this program.
Q: What was your favorite part about the AMT program at South?
A: The AMT program at South has many different kinds of planes. We had big commercial jet planes, a huge engine from Boeing, a Sabreliner, JetStar, and a really small Cessna 150 where you have to crawl to get into the empennage. So, a lot to learn and a lot of different experiences.
Q: What was your experience like getting hired at Kenmore Air?
A: The aviation program at South actually has a WorkSource coordinator who is specifically assigned to the AMT program. I went to him and said that I didn’t want to work for a big commercial airline, and that I wanted to work on smaller planes. I wanted to work in “general aviation” (all aviation which is not a scheduled airline or military) and really didn’t want to work night shifts. We looked at options together and found a general aviation position at Kenmore Air which I applied for.
Q: What do you like about working at Kenmore Air?
A: When you work for a large commercial airline, you’re typically focusing on one or two areas of the plane to maintain. Working with smaller planes at Kenmore, I’m able to familiarize myself with the entire plane. With general aviation, there are usually not enough people on staff for you to have a specialization. I love learning something new every day on the job!
Q: What should students know before getting into the industry?
A: You have options! If you do not want to work for a big commercial airline, you’ll have to do a little bit more research to find out what you do want to do. South holds career fairs in the aviation department which is a great place to start. There are some jobs that only require you to know “engine testing,” and other positions that fabricate all the parts for the airplane. So, this degree can do much more than people think. You could even use your A&P certificate to repair elevators!
Q: What are your long-term career goals?
A: Honestly, I see myself staying where I am at. I really love my job, but someday I’d like to move up the career path and work in management. I still feel like I am learning a lot from my co-workers at Kenmore. Someday I want to be that person who answers questions on the job, and get to a point where I can help teach my co-workers the same way they teach me.