Presenter Email
angela.albritton@erau.edu
Keywords
Aviation Maintenance, Career Pathway Programs, SkillBridge Programs, Transitioning Military, Veterans, Military Spouses
Abstract
The aerospace industry is competing with other industries for a qualified workforce, and many of those competing industries are investing heavily in creating workforce development pipelines. Boeing (2021) forecasts that 626,000 new aviation maintenance technicians will be needed over the next 20 years. If the aerospace industry is unable to recruit the skilled workforce they require, it could have a ripple effect felt globally. Career pathway programs are emerging as essential to inspiring and recruiting the next generation of aviation professionals. How can industry, academia and government work together to find more innovative ways to address the growing need for qualified aviation maintenance professionals?
Annually an estimated 200,000 U.S. service members will leave the military. Through the Department of Defense (DoD) SkillBridge program, service members within 180 days of exiting the service are eligible to participate in approved programs. A number of companies have partnered with academia to create innovative training programs for transitioning service members. These industry-academia-government partnership models provide parallel pathways compared to the more traditional educational model of requiring degree completion prior to joining the civilian workforce.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University built a 9-week, full-time Aviation Maintenance SkillBridge program designed to train and place transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses into aviation maintenance and technician careers with reputable aerospace industry partners, such as AAR Corp. The program is delivered virtually and on six U.S. military installations. This presentation will outline the collective efforts needed to build a successful military transition program to support the aviation maintenance industry.
Reference
Boeing. (2021). Pilot & Technician Outlook 2021 - 2040. Retrieved 14 Dec 2021 from: https://www.boeing.com/commercial/market/pilot-technician-outlook/
Included in
The Value of Strong Partnerships to Build a Successful Aviation Maintenance Career Pathway Program for Transitioning Military Service Members
The aerospace industry is competing with other industries for a qualified workforce, and many of those competing industries are investing heavily in creating workforce development pipelines. Boeing (2021) forecasts that 626,000 new aviation maintenance technicians will be needed over the next 20 years. If the aerospace industry is unable to recruit the skilled workforce they require, it could have a ripple effect felt globally. Career pathway programs are emerging as essential to inspiring and recruiting the next generation of aviation professionals. How can industry, academia and government work together to find more innovative ways to address the growing need for qualified aviation maintenance professionals?
Annually an estimated 200,000 U.S. service members will leave the military. Through the Department of Defense (DoD) SkillBridge program, service members within 180 days of exiting the service are eligible to participate in approved programs. A number of companies have partnered with academia to create innovative training programs for transitioning service members. These industry-academia-government partnership models provide parallel pathways compared to the more traditional educational model of requiring degree completion prior to joining the civilian workforce.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University built a 9-week, full-time Aviation Maintenance SkillBridge program designed to train and place transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses into aviation maintenance and technician careers with reputable aerospace industry partners, such as AAR Corp. The program is delivered virtually and on six U.S. military installations. This presentation will outline the collective efforts needed to build a successful military transition program to support the aviation maintenance industry.
Reference
Boeing. (2021). Pilot & Technician Outlook 2021 - 2040. Retrieved 14 Dec 2021 from: https://www.boeing.com/commercial/market/pilot-technician-outlook/
Comments
Presented in Session 5 A - Workforce Development in the Aviation Maintenance Sector