As far as becoming an aircraft mechanic, the pay can be good with the right experience and the right company, but in the interim it can be poor. Aviation maintenance over the past 20 years or so, especially with the airlines who are trying to get the most bang for their buck, is becoming a very knowledge intensive, broad field. No longer is A&P Certificate (Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic- the primary certifications for aircraft mechanics in the United States, often known as the Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Diploma/Certification in other countries) training by itself with no additional experience or training going to suffice in finding a high quality job, especially in the airlines. The ideal candidate for most major airlines, it seems, has at least some college experience, transport or turbine aircraft maintenance experience, basic instrument maintenance skills, and avionics training, the latter requiring in most cases an additional FCC license. Many candidates who have received NDT (Non-Destructive Testing) training are given favorable consideration. Additionally, mechanics may opt to train for an IA certification, but I'm not very familiar with that other than the fact that it deals with inspections. Much of the aforementioned qualifications can be gained in college, from the military, working your way up the experience ladder and taking as much training as your company will give you, or a combination of all three. It's predicted by many that there will be a shortage of qualified aircraft technicians, but with the economy the way it is and the increasing number of outsourcers using unlicensed technicians supervised by a minimal number of A&Ps, I'm not so sure. If you plan on pursuing aircraft maintenance as a career, I would recommend college or the military. There are many schools that offer both two and four year degrees in aircraft maintenance. But if you just want a basic A&P course, there are several technical schools and colleges that offer part time courses to complete the certification.
