The aviation industry has its ups and downs. The hours are irregular, the training is expensive, and you have to put in your time to make good money. However, the pros outweigh the cons if you're the adventurous and hardworking type.

The industry is booming'ironically, since the boomers are retiring'and there is high demand for young, professionally trained pilots. If you're looking for a challenging and rewarding career, and the idea of seeing remote areas of the country (and world) excites you, buckle up. Aviation might be the perfect career for you.

Duncan Cowell got his college diploma and commercial flying license at 24. Since then, he's gone from flying charter flights in Northern Ontario to flying a 70-passenger Bombardier Q400. Currently 29, Cowell had to invest some time into moving up the ladder. But for someone who had dreamed about doing this since he was a kid, it was well worth it.

Cowell earned his chops flying in remote areas of the country, which posed different challenges than commercial flights. The ground support and navigation equipment was often fairly limited, the gravel runways were difficult to navigate, and the cold weather made it difficult to perform maintenance on the plane. It was during those flights that Cowell saw some pretty unique sights. I remember one day we flew over an abandoned radar base that was formerly part of the mid-Canada radar line. It was really neat to see a bunch of structures and equipment that had been abandoned for decades, says Cowell.

And there are many more perks. When we have layovers, our company puts us up in nice hotels, says Cowell, and it's great to get out and explore the cities we fly to. It's also common for airlines to give substantial discounts to their employees, especially on standby flights.

School of aviation

Attending a school program is one way to get your foot in the door to the industry. Andrew Francis, 22, a recent graduate of the school of aviation at Seneca College in Toronto, landed a job as a flight instructor after earning his bachelor of aviation technology. The four-year degree had Francis taking courses like theory of flight, meteorology, aircraft design, and human factors. He now has his commercial pilot license and plenty of highly specialized training, but only after a lot of studying.

Price is one of the biggest barriers students face trying to get into aviation. According to Francis, the cost of renting an aircraft alone can discourage many people from getting into the industry. It's likely to pay off in the long run, though. Many staffing forecasts are predicting that a high rate of retirement will start to occur in the coming years, which in turn will create many job opportunities, says Francis. Most large airlines are anticipating a coming shortage and are establishing cadet training programs to help encourage people to start pursuing a career in aviation.

There are training programs across the entire country. Aside from essential training, the program at Seneca also features a mandatory co-op program that lets you gain experience in any area of the industry. Even abroad!

The program at Seneca also features the best simulation training you can find. According to Lynne McMullen, the chair of the school of aviation and flight technology at Seneca, the program is the only one in Canada that is accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International, which is quite a rigorous program with stringent requirements to make sure it has high academic strengths and professionalism of delivery on the flight line. You can rest assured that you're getting top-quality training.

For those still worrying about the cost, Seneca's program is OSAP eligible. Beyond that, there are always bursaries available for students across the country. But it's important that you know what you're getting into. If you're thinking about getting into aviation, have a discussion with an actual pilot, suggests Francis. The industry is not like the movies. It is important to have a realistic understanding of how the aviation industry operates.

Like any remote work, it's definitely a challenge. Although it's a great way to earn a paycheque'likely a small one for the first while'some days are extremely challenging, and the schedule may not be ideal for everyone. It is certainly not a 9ÔÇô5 job with weekends and holidays off, says Cowell. But for him, it's worth it. At the end of the day, I can't imagine doing anything else as unique as flying for a living.

Photo: SF photo/Thinkstock