As an Operations Supervisor at the MHIRJ service center in Bridgeport, West Virginia, Christopher Lawrence’s workdays are spent ensuring the quality of his team’s work and the safety of the aircraft they’re working on. But on his off days, he’s all about living his best life with his family and friends in the place he calls home.

For almost seven years, Christopher has climbed the ranks at MHIRJ thanks to his hard work, dedication, and the support of his peers—who he also counts among his friends. And with a flexible schedule that allows for plenty of time to do the things he loves most; he’s achieved a balanced lifestyle that has room for both career growth and quality time.

 

THE PATH TO SUCCESS

Much like many others who work at MHIRJ, Christopher didn’t have a background in aviation. However, this didn’t stop him from pursuing a new career path. “I was a coal miner for six years, and as we know, a lot of the coal mines were starting to shut down and I needed to make a change and find a job because I just had my son and just got married and I didn't want to be without a job,” he said. This is what led him to attend the National Aviation Academy in Clearwater, Florida to complete the 14-month fast-track program. “I fell in love with it. I've always liked to work with my hands, so it was a great fit.”

With his AMP license in hand, he applied to work at MHIRJ where he began as a technician on the floor. His skills, work ethic, and unwavering efforts helped promote him to become an Operations Supervisor. “If you look at my story, nothing's really held me back,” he says. “There's definitely a lot of opportunity for growth. I mean, if you look at where I came from as a tech on the floor and only six years later, I'm in an Operations Supervisor position, you can grow, and you can grow fast.”

ADVICE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

We asked Christopher what the best advice he’d ever received in his career was, and he said “don’t stop learning, because your AMP is a license to learn and you will constantly learn new things every day around this facility. If you have a good work ethic and a willingness to learn, it will carry you further in this industry than anything else.” He also credits his peers who helped show him the ropes, answer his questions, and support him in his journey.

Stay tuned to WINGSPAN to hear more stories about life at MHIRJ, and explore our open positions if you’re ready make your next career move: https://mhirj.com/en/careers

After eight years and counting with MHIRJ, Shannon Kniceley, Quality Control Inspector, knows that teamwork makes for the best work. While the camaraderie and support of her fellow inspectors helps everyone take their work to the next level, what she’d really love is for more women to take the leap into a career in aviation.
 

Not one to shy away from a career path that’s typically male-dominant, Shannon knew that getting her associate degree in aviation maintenance and her A&P license would open new doors for her. After spending years serving in the Army National Guard, Shannon decided to attend Fairmont State College at age 30. This made her a shining example of someone who wasn’t afraid to step out of her comfort zone to pursue an opportunity that’s paid off in more ways than one. Watch her story:

 

FROM A&P TO A TO Z

If you ask Shannon, or any of her teammates for that matter, getting your A&P license is the smartest step you can take towards starting a rewarding aviation maintenance career. While she considered pursuing a career in oil, gas, or coal mining, it was this path that changed the trajectory of her life. And it all started with the right education.

“We have a program that you can apply for to go to college and get your associate degree and your A&P license free since it's a technical school. You get that, and it's just giving you the tip of the iceberg when you go to school. You get the more in depth once you come out. Because the A& P license is a license to learn, and it just opens up doors of what you want to do,” she explains. Working at MHIRJ then gave her years of hands-on experience that has helped her keep learning and advancing her career. “There are opportunities here for growth. And it's there for your taking,” she adds.

BETTER LIFE IN BRIDGEPORT

As a single mom, choosing the right place to raise her son was also a key factor in Shannon’s decision to live in Bridgeport, WV after some time away. “When my son was younger, I decided to move back here because I wanted him to go to the Bridgeport schools. They have a lot more opportunities, and I wanted him to get a better education.” Now they enjoy the beauty and small-town charm of Bridgeport with convenient access to the big cities like Pittsburgh. “Aviation is a great career in which if you are a single mother, you can make a good life for yourself and your child,” she adds.

Learn more stories about life at MHIRJ on WINGSPAN, and make your next career move by exploring our current open positions: https://mhirj.com/en/careers

Gone are the conventional days when you had to choose one career path and stick to it forever. When you have skills and ambition, making a career change can be a great decision at any point in life. Once a plastics engineer, Russell Becker now happily works as a Structures Technician at the MHIRJ service center in Bridgeport, West Virginia.

When you think of an apprentice, who do you picture? Russell likes to joke that it certainly isn’t him, although that’s exactly how he started his career at MHIRJ after many years spent working in plastics. When the opportunity to make a worthwhile shift came his way, he took it. Watch his story on how he went from apprentice, to contractor, to full-time team member in just months:

 

AN OPPORTUNITY THAT HAS WINGS

When life throws us curveballs, the catalyst for change can come out of nowhere. For Russell, it was a conversation with a friend at a football game. After expressing that he had been laid off from his job and looking for new opportunities, his friend asked if he’d ever considered a career in aviation. “I'm like, no. I'm a plastics guy. He goes, well, you know what? Why don't you just give it a shot? We're looking for sheet metal guys. I said, well, I know sheet metal. He goes, well, come on up.” And the rest is history.

After taking the initial tests, Russell scored off the charts and was welcomed to the team. “This was only going to be a pit stop for me, but I don't think I'm ever going to go back to plastics. I like it too much here.” he says.

FAMILY VALUES

Now that he’s been part of the team for two years, Russell can speak on how much he values the camaraderie with his colleagues. He’s been well-supported and mentored in his journey, and loves that his days are spent both learning and laughing, expressing that his team keeps his spirits high. “Working with those three, it's a perk because they're hilarious,” he says, and adds: “It's a lot more family oriented than I anticipated to be. I mean, I thought aviation was just a bunch of former military guys, until I got here. But a lot of the guys here are local. They started here as apprentices and work their way up through it.”

While not working, Russell loves spending quality time with his wife, sons, and daughter in and around beautiful Bridgeport.

Get to know more MHIRJ team members and follow their journeys in WINGPSAN. Looking to make your own leap? Check out our current opportunities: https://mhirj.com/en/careers