Piloting is the most obvious career in the industry, and with anywhere from one to three flight crew on a given aircraft there is high demand. Commercial aircraft also require flight attendants and a host of mechanics and technicians. Airports require their own management and technical crews, and the tower is staffed with highly-trained air traffic controllers to keep everything moving smoothly. Other professionals design and build airports, hangars, maintenance facilities and the aircraft themselves. Even the educators who staff the schools represent a specialized branch of the aviation industry.
Accredited schools and programs are especially important to the aviation industry, where any mistake may cost lives. Aviation degrees in general are often accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International. Programs with a more technical focus seek accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, while those on the management side of the business may turn to the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs. The Federal Aviation Administration certifies air traffic control programs and some technical specialties, and most universities and colleges are also accredited by the usual regional and national boards.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in Daytona, Florida, is a fully accredited university in which every degree has an aviation focus. University of Tennessee-Knoxville's aerospace program is geared to the needs of the defense industry. The University of North Dakota has a certified air traffic control program equipped with an array of high tech computerized simulators. At the other end of the scale, even small private vocational schools like the Career Academy in Anchorage, Alaska, may offer accredited programs. In total, the federal Career Navigator website listed 121 accredited programs in the 2011 academic year.
Many aviation careers begin with a term in the military. All branches of the armed forces have large flight establishments, and train correspondingly high numbers of personnel in aviation-related fields. Military air traffic controllers, for example, are able to move directly to the FAA at the end of their service. The armed forces also make heavy use of helicopters and multi-engine jets, giving military pilots and maintenance crews an edge in experience once their term of service has ended.