Candice McHargue, AMT 2018 Next Gen 40 Under 40 Award Winner
Candice McHargue's love of aviation all began as a little girl. She would watch her dad working in the garage. She’d ask questions about how parts and each system operated, then started picking up tools to help repair the vehicles. "At the age of 16 I decided I wanted to work with my hands and do something different than most and that was repairing aircraft."
McHargue attended Vincennes Aviation Technology Center in Indianapolis, IN, and received her A&P in 2003. After getting hired on at a local MRO, she attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University obtaining a bachelor’s degree in technical management. Advanced training includes a weeklong program at Abaris on advanced composite structures that she achieved through a scholarship through Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance (AWAM). She has also attended courses on aircraft and engine type familiarization courses. She belongs to the AWAM Louisville Chapter and Women in Aviation International. She was selected for the Business Professional Women’s Rising Flame Competition in 2011 which recognizes the accomplishments of young, up-and-coming leaders and provides them with professional development skills and opportunities.
She began her aviation career at a local FBO working on flight school aircraft performing 100-hour engine inspections right out of A&P school. Then she went to AAR Aircraft Services in Indianapolis, IN, where she moved into a lead technician role after three years as a technician. After obtaining her undergrad degree and attending her first Women in Aviation Conference in 2008, she moved to UPS. She is currently an aircraft maintenance control supervisor which includes monitoring out of service aircraft and irregulatory events and being a liaison between engineering, materials, tooling, and line maintenance including coordinating movement of required parts.
Nominated by Stella Burton, AMT, UPS: I met Candice 13 years ago while working heavy maintenance at an overhaul facility. She hired on at UPS as a line maintenance supervisor. She has demonstrated great leadership skills in various departments including the Line, Safety Committee, and Maintenance Control. As a line maintenance supervisor, she would divide the workload to comply with scheduled work, engineering orders, pilot, and mechanic discrepancies among 15 to 20 employees. In Maintenance Control, she would oversee and coordinate with dispatch and planning on MEL and CDL procedures and status. On the Safety Committee she made safety improvements in her operation and has helped mechanics by improving task cards and engineering orders to better assist them.
To give back to the industry she established the Louisville AWAM chapter in 2012. She is currently vice president of the chapter and coordinates hangar tours at UPS with the local schools in her community. "It's a way to recruit the next generation of aviation engineers and aircraft mechanics." She also coordinates a fundraiser for AWAM and WAI's scholarship programs. She is mentoring the next generation by attending a LINC (Leadership Improvement through Networking Connections) program at UPS, and by finding monetary ways to support students.
In the future she would like to expand her responsibilities as a manager to develop new competencies. "Job enrichment will allow me to develop and expand my abilities and build more productive relationships with people inside and outside of UPS." Targets include becoming a division manager and eventually director of operations.
