Mentoring

In the February issue of D.O.M. magazine, I profiled Albert E. (Bud) Leonard. Leonard is a recent recipient of the FAA’s Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award. 

One of the things Leonard has been passionate about over his 50 years in aviation maintenance is mentoring young students. Many of his former students attended the celebration surrounding the FAA’s presentation of the Charles Taylor award. They all had successful careers in aviation maintenance, many of them going on to mentor others themselves.

Mentoring.org says, “Mentoring, at its core, guarantees young people that there is someone who cares about them, assures them they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges, and makes them feel like they matter. Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects on young people in a variety of personal, academic, and professional situations. Ultimately, mentoring connects a young person to personal growth and development, and social and economic opportunity. Yet one in three young people will grow up without this critical asset.”

If you are a maintenance manager, chances are high that a mentor helped shape your successful career. Now it’s time for us to give back. Take some time to mentor that new mechanic. Show him or her what it means to have a successful career in aviation maintenance. Open the door of opportunity for them.

We have taken the elevator towards the top floor of our career. It’s time to send that elevator back down so that others can have the same opportunity for success!