Work demands stamina, strong spine and sharp eye for detail
Karen Cheung Wing-sze would have loved to be a pilot but failed the eyesight requirements for the job. Being short-sighted, she gave up the idea of flying planes and instead turned to aircraft maintenance.
After graduating from the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) in Tsing Yi with a higher diploma in aircraft maintenance engineering, Cheung joined the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company as a trainee.
'Aircraft maintenance staff have a huge responsibility. A small mistake could lead to a disaster,' Cheung says.
The job is physically demanding. It involves moving and installing plane compartments.
'On a sunny day, the temperature on the airfield could go up to more than 40 degrees Celsius,' Cheung says. 'During rainy days, we put on a raincoat but [we] still get soaked from head to toe. Lifting tasks such as moving a plane wheel is tough, especially for a girl like me. The wheel is up to my chin, [so] I can't see clearly. In this situation, I always ask for help.'
Mak Chiu-ki, senior lecturer at the IVE department of engineering, says it takes seven to 10 years for a trainee to be promoted to engineer.
