Canada’s globally competitive aerospace industry provides many opportunities for aircraft maintenance engineers, commonly abbreviated to AMEs. The duties of an AME involve the inspecting, assessing, dismantling and reassembing of aircraft structures, systems and equipment, as well as diagnosing aircraft defects and carrying out any necessary correction work. Good literacy and numeracy skills are required as completing records of work carried out is also a part of the job.
AMEs need to be licenced by Transport Canada (TC), and applicants for the licence must be at least 21 years old and have completed a course of training at a TC-approved training college, as well as having served an appropriate apprenticeship. Training providers include the British Columbia Institute of Technology and SAIT Polytechnic.
Jobs in this field usually require shift work, which could mean working days, nights or weekends. Salaries for those starting out tend to be around C
$42,000 in Toronto and C
$52,000 in Montreal. Toronto, however, offers higher earning potential, where salaries can reach C
$74,000 as opposed to C
$63,000 elsewhere.