GAT Airline Ground Support provides all the essential support services to the airline industry. From janitors to gate agents, GAT has it covered. Over the past two years, the company has grown double digits offering more opportunity and growth and, in turn, creating a company culture based on career advancement.
Diving Into the Values at GAT
A Place to Grow Professionally
Chief Executive Officer Mike Hough likes to joke that GAT is a 40-year-old startup. With the growth over the last two years, it can feel like a startup, especially considering much of the front line managerial positions are filled internally.
The newfound growth of the company has also had a direct impact on the pace of the work environment. There is never a dull day at GAT as they apply their vision day in and day out:
Be the preeminent supplier of aviation services for the airline industry. We will earn our customers' preferences through our people and performance. Be renowned for our excellence in safety and unsurpassed performance.
Zippia sat down with Talent Acquisition Manager, Lee White to see what they're doing right at GAT to create such a progressive culture for their employees.
Setting Career Goals
Guiding You to a Better Future
Leadership and mentoring programs play a big role at GAT. And there are plans for the programs to get even bigger over the next year. "When someone comes in we immediately start a career plan for that person. And we review it regularly with that employee," White said. If an employee is not hitting their career plan goals, the mentor will find out what they can do to help them meet their goals. In addition, mentors will help figure out how to accomplish career goals.
If you apply for a different position within the company, an alert is issued to those in mentor and leadership positions. "Even if they aren't a good fit for the job at the time, we at least now know they're interested. And then we can help them become a good fit for that position," White said. No matter what, internal employees always get priority when it comes to hiring for a new position.
Going Above and Beyond
What GAT Employees Are Doing to Advance Their Careers
When White pursued a career with GAT, he just wanted an opportunity to learn a new industry without the pressure of being in a leadership position. "I didn't know the amount of teamwork and the pure coordinated effort it takes for getting one plane off the ground," he said.
But within six months, he was offered a manager position.
"If you bring your experience from previous jobs, apply the transferable skills and deliver on performance excellence, then moving up in the company will be extremely easy for you," and it doesn't have to aviation-related. "Just because I didn't have experience in aviation didn't mean I didn't have transferable skills," White said. It's that kind of career growth that's attracting job seekers to GAT. "New opportunities are opening up every day as GAT continues to focus on strengthening existing and forming new relationships with our airline partners. We're literally creating roles to support our strategic objectives and ensure scalability. This is happening in both the US and our new Candian markets," said White. GAT expanded into Canada with the Summer 2019 acquisition of ground handler Strategic Aviation and its catering subsidiary Sky Cafe.
The culture at GAT is very much what you make it. If you ask questions and are thirsty for knowledge, you'll be able to advance in the company, no doubt about it. White described a simple demonstration of excellence that could help recruiters advance their careers. "If you have to fill 100 openings in San Francisco, that means you have 200 openings--125 for your customer in San Francisco and 75 for your new customer picked up along the way.
"You have to believe in what you're doing," he said.
Job Security
Just One of the Perks
As an employee of GAT, you spend a lot of time doing work for airport and airline partners. So it may seem as if you've been hired just for a specific project. But it's important to note that you are, in fact, a GAT employee. "These are not temporary positions that provide services to our customers. You're safe in your employment. We're not going to hire you for a job, and then let you go like some type of gig," White said.
GAT offers access to benefits to all full-time employees.Often the only impact specific partners may have on your employment is access to their flight benefits. White said some of the larger carriers they partner with offer those benefits to employees and their families.
And for those who don't work directly with an airline, GAT is engaged in providing comparable perks. All in all, they're striving to be an employer of choice. "We want people to want to choose us," White said. "We're working to provide an upfront culture so their employee experience is better than anything we've had before."
GAT finds ways to keep their team engaged with a fun and exciting work environment through means of holiday parties and creating a family environment.
