Flight attendants have one of the best but the hardest jobs in the world. They can travel around the world and get paid for it. However, they undergo a lot of stress in the process. The education requirements aren’t all that much for a flight attendant. But they can’t join the profession right after high school. Let’s look at some certifications that one can acquire to be a better flight attendant and get promoted easily. But, before that let us see how to get licensed as a flight attendant.
How to get licensed
To become a flight attendant, you need to first graduate out of high school. After this, you have to undergo college education and preferably complete it to get a job in the service industry. Airlines require you to have a minimum of 2 years of experience in the service industry. Though they may not care about your bachelor’s degree, your customer service job might. Thus, we suggest you get your bachelor’s in either communication, management or travel and tourism.
After you get your job experience, you will need to apply to various airlines to get a job as a flight attendant. If they accept you, there will be a maximum of 6 months training conducted by the airline itself. They will teach you about both safety and service during this period. After this, you need to get a certificate from the FAA – Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency. This certifies that the training has met FAA standards. Then you are officially licensed to be a flight attendant. You can find out more about how to become a flight attendant on our website.
Medical Certificate
Before you enter training, you are supposed to get a Class 2 Medical certificate. This tells the trainers that you are fit to serve aboard and you will not have any medical problems in the near future that will affect your ability to be a flight attendant. There are several tests that are required to be performed on an aspiring attendant. Some airlines may also require you to get Class 1 Medical certificate. Find out more about these certificates here.
Foreign Language Certificate
Knowing multiple languages is considered a great asset as a flight attendant. These certificates say that you are proficient in the language and can communicate with the passengers efficiently. Many different language institutes offer these certifications. There are different levels to them – each level signifies a different level of fluency in the language. So, if you wish to improve your skills as a flight attendant, then try to learn as many languages as possible.
Computer skills
As a flight attendant, you are often required to use the computer for filling our reports or logging into the company website. You may also need to view the list of passengers and their food preferences or if any of the passengers need special attention. To do this you will need some basic computer skills. Certifications are available for such skills too.
First Aid or CPR
Flight attendants need to take care of their passengers to the best of their abilities. Some basic healthcare training is given during the training period. However, you can opt to take more comprehensive courses and hence get yourself certified to take better care of your passengers in case the need arises. Some of the primary healthcare courses you can take are Basic First Aid and CPR.
Nursing
The simplest nursing certifications are that of a Registered Nurse (RN) and a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). The airlines do not emphasize the need of a person with a nursing background often. But since basic nursing skills mean that you have interacted with customers before and you can take care of more advanced medical needs, we suggest that you can try and get licensed as an RN or LPN before applying or during your job as an FA.
Communication
A certificate of communication from any recognized social institution or renowned management college can help you get a job. Though it is not required, such certificates will give you an edge over your competitors and earn that job that you rightfully deserve.
There are many other skills that you could learn to get this job. But these are some of the most important ones that might help you out. These certificates may also help you out later in your life to get other jobs. Good luck ma’am (or sir)!