Beginners usually ask one question: "What should I study to get into aviation?" The honest answer is that it depends on the role. Aviation has two very different kinds of job, and mixing them up is the most expensive mistake a newcomer can make.
First, sort roles into two groups
Roles that need a licence or approval
ICAO's international standards on personnel licensing (Annex 1 to the Chicago Convention) cover roles such as pilots, air traffic controllers, aircraft maintenance engineers and flight dispatchers. A licence for one of these is issued by a national aviation authority, after training at an organisation that authority has approved, plus examinations and, for several roles, a medical assessment.
Cabin crew are treated differently in different regions. In European Union states, for example, cabin crew hold a Cabin Crew Attestation under European Union rules, described by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA); elsewhere the airline trains its crew under a programme its own authority has approved.
What this means for you: no general online course, including any InternAVIA course, can give you one of these licences or attestations. If one of these roles is your goal, start by reading the requirements published by the aviation authority of the country where you want to work.
Roles that do not need a personal licence
Most entry-level airport work sits here: passenger services, ramp and baggage handling, cargo handling, airport operations assistants, guest services and hospitality. For these, the employer trains you after hiring, in the subjects their regulator requires for your duties, such as safety, security awareness and the handling of dangerous goods. You cannot usually complete that training on your own beforehand, and you do not need to.
What you can do beforehand is arrive understanding the industry, speaking its language and knowing what the job involves. That is what an introductory course is for.
A five-step plan
- Learn how the industry fits together. Read who does what in aviation, or take a short foundations course.
- Pick one family of jobs to explore first. You can change later. Choosing one makes the next steps concrete.
- Check the real requirements. Read several current job advertisements for that role where you live. Note the minimum age, education, languages and anything about shift work or background checks.
- Close your own gaps. Often these are spoken English, confidence with customers, or simply knowing the vocabulary of the job.
- Get near the work. An internship, a seasonal role or a customer-facing job in another industry all give you something true to say at interview.
What employers commonly check
Requirements vary by employer and country, so treat this as a list of things to look up, not a list of rules.
- Minimum age and the right to work in the country.
- Education level asked for in the advertisement.
- The working language of the airport, and often a second language.
- A background check covering recent years, needed for an airside pass.
- Willingness to work shifts, including nights, weekends and holidays.
- For some roles: a driving licence, a medical check, or the ability to lift and stand for long periods.
What a course can and cannot do
- It can give you a clear picture of the industry, the words used on the job and an understanding of why procedures matter.
- It can give you a certificate of completion to list on your CV as evidence of what you studied.
- It cannot replace the training an employer or a regulator requires for a specific role.
- It cannot promise an interview or a job. Completing this course or holding its certificate does not guarantee a job, an internship, an interview or a place in any programme.
A warning about fees
Genuine employers do not charge you for a job. Be careful with anyone who asks for money before there is a written offer that you have seen and checked with the employer directly. Get any terms in writing first, pay only into an organisation's own account, and treat pressure to pay quickly, or to "release" an offer you have not seen, as a warning sign.
Rules for regulated roles differ from country to country and change over time. Before you pay for any training that leads to a licence, check the requirement with the national aviation authority of the country where you want to work.
Sources
- International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Annex 1 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation: Personnel Licensing.
- European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Cabin crew: frequently asked questions, read 6 October 2026.
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