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PROFESSIONALISM 24 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY THE AVIATION INDUSTRY IS HOST TO A wide variety of technically skilled and high paying jobs requiring not only a solid edu- cational foundation, but also experience on the job. In a dynamic industry with a broad range of career paths, a mentor can be an invaluable resource to individuals beginning or building their careers. With a large number of aviation experts expected to retire within the near future, it is ben- eficial to young professionals to help them navigate their professional growth within the industry, and critical to the aviation community to develop a strong group of future leaders and experts. I had the opportunity to participate as a panelist at the Airport Consultants Council (ACC) Annual Conference in a session that addressed the important role that mentoring plays in our careers and how mentoring is "making a difference for the next generation." MENTORING WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION VS. MENTORING WITHIN THE INDUSTRY When it comes to seeking out mentors, we need to look both inside our company and externally in the industry. Progressive companies are committed to offering a successful mentoring program within their organizations, as well as providing employees with additional mentoring and networking opportunities in the industry. Roddy Boggus, who was employed with WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff at the time, explained that internal mentoring provides mentees with guidance on what THE ROLE OF MENTORING IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY Take time to reflect on where you want your career to take you instead of allowing your career to "happen" By Jennie Santoro the organization wants from them and what is expected professionally, so they can be professionally successful in their jobs. In contrast, he says, industry mentoring, or mentoring outside of a company, provides a dual benefit. "If you do well for yourself, you will be doing well for your employer." From the perspective of a young pro- fessional, I believe it is crucial to have mentors both within and outside your organization. Internal mentors have a vision for your corporate growth and they can provide insights on the corporate culture and opportunities for professional development and advancement. External mentors can offer a broader perspective, unbiased opinions, and help establish a positive career path. They are in a better position to help you navigate internal cor- porate challenges that you're not comfort- able bringing up with internal mentors. Both mentoring relationships are important to career growth and devel- opment, resulting is a well-rounded indi- vidual who can be successful in a variety of job situations and environments. FINDING A MENTOR Despite the importance of mentoring in skilled fields, it may be challenging to find the right mentor. The process can be organic through natural "on the job" interactions with colleagues, or it can be facilitated within companies and industry organizations. Both ways are valuable for mentor development and often result in a diverse range of opportunities for people new to this field. Panelist Chris Spaulding, who worked for the Airport Consultants Council at the time, reinforced that person- ality characteristics play a major role in the mentorship relationship. "Overall, it can be a chal- lenging process because everyone has a different personality type and they tend to approach situations and people in different ways. Many mentor relationships happen when you don't expect it." As someone who has been with the same company — HNTB Corp. — for the duration of my career, I have been fortu- nate to experience both sides of the men- toring relationship and realize how much it has helped form the foundation of my career success at the company and in the industry. HNTB has a great track record of successful mentoring and the rela- tionships that have been established are mutually rewarding. Even after a formal mentorship program ends, it is essential to maintain contact with former mentors because each person's career continues to develop and future opportunities may arise that can be advantageous. THE IMPORTANCE OF NETWORKING The value of networking cannot be understated. Fortunately, there are many associations and organizations a new professional can be involved with to meet key industry professionals and influencers. According to Boggus, "The easiest way for mentors to help young professionals network in the aviation industry is to work with them, spend time and be willing to make introduc- tions to colleagues at industry confer- ences, exhibit halls, networking mixers, socials and other key industry events." Networking can be a great entryway to find industry mentors. It's a way to meet similar professionals, learn about them and their experiences, and share information about yourself. It affords the opportuni- ty to hear about what's going on in the