Before I start answering who, what, why, and how. Lets start with a brief introduction about how my summer job became my full time job to now my growing career. My name is Rafay Naseer, my family and I, moved from Pakistan in the 90’s to get our proper education and a better life in the United States. I moved here without knowing a word of english but attended school and graduated from Forest Hills High School in 2004. Shortly after, I started working as a security guard at Delta’s very own terminal at La Guardia Airport. Soon applied for the Airline to have a summer job until I decided where I wanted to be in the future.
Here is my story on how my summer job became my career. Everything at the airport was fast pace, customers in and out in one of the busiest airports. I still remember that I called it a fish market, when I first saw over crowded terminals and traffic jams at the departure and arrival areas. I had decided then I should apply for the airline instead of being a security guard. In 2005, I applied to Delta Air Lines and got a job offer as a Ramp agent. Physical work always motivated me and loading and unloading aircrafts was the perfect job for a high school graduate who is looking for some extra cash over the summer. I worked in some intense heat conditions, along with some rainy days. Although it was difficult working in inclement weather conditions, I loved the sound of an aircraft taking off and landing. I just knew it that this is it, I want to grow in aviation, specially with Delta Air Lines.
As time went by, I went from ramp to a Crew Lead, then ramp Operations, then to a repositioning team. Lets fast forward to my major promotion. I applied to cabin maintenance multiple times and even enrolled in a Aircraft Maintenance program but would not get an interview until 2022. Finally, I got a interview and I did practice, similar to the old days where you stand in front of a mirror and speak to yourself, instead its 2022, so I recorded myself on my phone. Once I was confident that I can ace this interview without getting the interviewer bored, I stuck by it and did my interview on Microsoft Teams. I had been attending Vaughn College to pursue my Aircraft Maintenance degree and worked really hard with a family of a wife and two kids. My boys are now four and the little one is about to be three. That is the hardest part for me at the moment where I’m a full time student and working full time. I even have classes on zoom nearly half the days on my weekends. Im holding a 3.599 GPA. I was also a nominee for honors and received an award when I made the faculty list. I know I can do better and it just made me very proud to have my parents and my wife and kids sitting in the audience while I receive and award for academic achievement. It almost felt like graduation and I can’t wait until I’m finally finished. My family support really helps me get through school and work everyday to do better. They believe in me and call me the handyman because I can fix anything and everything. I can repair many electronics and repair anything damaged, whether its home, car, and now Aircraft related. I repair all different types of items in the cabin of the Aircraft