_ A career in aviation safety is one of the most demanding yet rewarding of professions. If you choose to dedicate your life to the pursuit of air safety, you will be signing up for hours of taxing duty. However, everyday you will be saving thousands of lives. Parents, children, friends, lovers…you will be safeguarding millions of relationships in a way not many can claim to.

There are several different jobs related to aviation safety. Depending on your personal inclinations and qualifications, you can choose between being part of the ground staff: checking personnel, travelers, equipment and luggage for potentially dangerous situations or items, or help ensure safe takeoff or landing of flights by becoming an air traffic controller. You can even become an air marshal and take to the skies along with the rest of the flight crew. If so, you will be dealing directly with criminal activities that threaten the health, wellbeing and safety of airport staff as well as passengers, both in the air and on the ground.

However, before you can actually start your career in aviation consulting field, you need to ensure that you have the necessary airline certification for the job. Without the required certification, it will be impossible for you to apply for your dream job. The majority of airline certification degrees are granted either by federal institutions or by certain licensed aviation schools around the country.

In addition to a number of certificate courses and diplomas, many of which can be applied for directly after earning your high school diploma, you can also opt for a master’s degree in aviation safety. This is a two year program, and includes lessons in air traffic control systems, airport security and safety management, aviation law, accident investigations etc. in addition to classes in mechanical engineering and air craft design.

Finally, it is a good idea to get some employment experience in the industry before you start your own independent aviation consulting business. This will help you observe the various facets of aviation safety management, giving you valuable hands on experience. The years spend working for various airports and airline companies will also help generate industry goodwill as well as the necessary contacts for establishing your own airline consulting firm. Lastly, be prepared for a lot of hard work. It will be a long and tough journey, but if you stick to it you’ll find it highly rewarding.