We Can Do It: Combating Aviation’s Workforce Challenges Continued from page 29 mechanics face the high cost of tools, which can really hike your loan if you are a Snap-on fan. I mean no offense to my pilot friends, but truth be told, when there’s talk about shortages it is mostly about pilots. The recent studies reinforce that—with the big exception of the Boeing report. What we need are pilots, mechanics, engi- neers, manufacturing technicians and more. Yes, the sharp end of the machine gets the most attention—flying is the romantic part of aviation—but we need AMTs to maintain the equipment, as well as cabin crew to safeguard and serve the passengers. Instead of repeatedly crying “the sky is falling,” what can we do? First, it is about an understanding of what is impor- tant, such as good wages, benefits, career progression oppor- tunities and developmental/training programs—which are all challenges for most employers. Hiring skilled mechanics Sparking the interest in aviation needs to start early— as early as elementary school. and about investing in aviation high schools, STEM training and increasing partnerships between schools and industry. Sparking the interest in aviation needs to start early—as early as elementary school. We need more programs and outreach like the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles, which has given more than 2 million young people an aircraft flight since it started in 1992. Not every child can be a Young Eagle. In today’s 24/7 information cycle with so many technologies and topics vying for their attention, we need to make sure that aviation is one of them—with books, games, videos and more. Once an individual has decided to pursue an aviation career, FBOs or repair stations can offer internships for mechanics. This is common with some larger U.S. repair stations, some offering college-level paid internships with an assurance of being hired after graduation. It’s a win-win. On day one, the intern is trained to the repair station’s proce- dures and has an understanding of the culture. There is also some help coming from the government with the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018.5 Title VI of the bill at less-than-optimum wages is a big challenge, especially for small businesses. Once the new hire is trained, then there is the risk he/she will get recruited away by a larger company or an entirely different industry. This is a common occurrence, which we saw often in the late 1990s and early 2000s. At recent industry events and NATA’s annual confer- ences, we talked about the big picture of aviation recruitment 30 covers developing the aviation workforce and provides guid- ance for the FAA to establish task forces and work groups focused on youth in aviation and helping schools identify and develop aviation career pathways. The bill also autho- rizes $5 million in grants (up to $500,000 each) for each of the next four years to support workforce development. It also directs the FAA to finalize the long-awaited revision to the Aviation Maintenance Training regulation Part 147. This proposed rule has been gathering dust. It is about time that it gets much-needed FAA attention. These are just some of the highlights of the bill, and if you want to know more, I encourage you to read the other areas of the bill. As the saying goes, “Recognizing a problem is the first step to solving it.” The aviation community fully knows there is a workforce problem and is on its way to addressing it. We didn’t get where we are now overnight—developing, oper- ating and maintaining a safe and robust aviation system. That took a lot of hard work on everyone’s part. So, too, will ensuring a workforce for a stronger future. I agree with FAA Acting Administrator Elwell who also said, “Each of us must take a personal and direct role in the spreading the aviation bug.” 5 https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/4/text Aviation Business Journal | 4th Quarter 2018
