Beyond High School

Here's a list of programs that you should consider if you're interested in this career:

• Airline Flight Attendant

Education Level

Education training and experience are required at different levels for success in different occupations.

High school (GED), plus on-the-job training

Flight attendants receive training from their employer and must be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Flight attendants typically need a high school diploma or the equivalent and work experience in customer service.

Insider Info

Additional Information

A high school diploma is required to become a flight attendant. Often, post-secondary education and/or experience dealing with the public are preferred. Airlines that fly internationally may require one or more languages in addition to English.

"Anybody who enjoys retail, hospitality or customer service will have a head start in the very up-close-and-personal interactions with the public that is a major, major part of the job," says flight attendant Ross Miller. "Those with medical experience or licenses and those who speak multiple languages always move to the front of the interviewee's list, and sometimes earn a higher wage."

Training is provided by individual airlines and generally lasts between four and seven weeks. Some private schools and colleges also offer flight attendant training. This can give you a leg up (or wing up) on other applicants.

"First aid, firefighting, self defense, leadership skills, human dynamics and conflict resolution are all valuable skills to come into the profession with," says flight attendant Lona Louden.

Some airlines pay for flight attendant training, while others do not. Training covers a wide range of topics -- most topics are safety related. Topics include emergency procedures, first aid, and dealing with difficult passengers and terrorist situations.

"[The training] was six weeks, and it was six very hard weeks, I thought," says flight attendant Mary Catherine Carwile. "It was packed with tons of information. We had five tests the first morning.

"We had to walk in the first morning of class knowing how to say the announcement that they give: 'Good morning ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard, blah, blah, blah.' We had to memorize that and say it to somebody as soon as we walked in the door.

"And then there were five tests about all the different city codes, like Denver is 'DEN.'

"And then there are two or three tests every day," Carwile adds. "It's all safety related. What you train for and what you do are two different things, completely -- if you're lucky."

Flight attendants must meet height requirements (in order to reach overhead bins). They must also have good vision. Medical evaluations are required. Applicants must also pass criminal background checks.

Extra Requirements

All flight attendants must be certified by the FAA. To become certified, flight attendants must complete their employer’s initial training program and pass an exam. Flight attendants are certified for specific types of aircraft and must take new training for each type of aircraft on which they are to work. In addition, attendants receive recurrent training every year to maintain their certification.

For additional information, visit these websites:

• http://www.faa.gov