Presenter Email
owen.bruce@faa.gov
Location
Mori Hosseini Student Union Events Center (Bldg #610) – Rooms 165 E/F
Start Date
3-4-2020 10:45 AM
End Date
3-4-2020 12:15 PM
Submission Type
Presentation
Keywords
STEM, aircraft maintenance shortage solutions, aviation careers
Abstract
The 2018 Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook report forecasted that the aviation industry needs 790,000 new civil aviation pilots worldwide over the next 20 years. Some airlines have answered the call by creating ab initio (entry-level) programs to recruit, train, and hire their own pilots. However, the 2018 Outlook report also forecasted that the aviation industry needs 754,000 maintenance technicians over the next 20 years. Recently, there has been more attention paid to potential shortages in other aviation careers such as aircraft maintenance technicians but the primary focus is still remains on the pilot population.
One of the factors that will lead to the shortage of aircraft maintenance technicians is the retirements of current aircraft maintenance technicians. Other factors include the lack of knowledge of or interest in aviation careers among the very people that can fill the pipeline, the diminished role of “shop class” in some school systems and competing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs such as robotics and coding.
This paper will address the challenges to attracting new talent to aviation careers as well as innovative ways to help overcome those challenges. This paper will also discuss ways to expand aviation career outreach efforts beyond the K-12 age group to introduce new talent to the aircraft maintenance technician pipeline at a quicker rate.
Presenter Biography
Owen Bruce is currently a Program Analyst at the Federal Aviation Administration and is a STEM Aviation and Space Education (AVSED) Program Outreach Representative. Owen grew up in Queens, NY near JFK Airport and saw aircraft such as the Concorde and B747s fly over his home. This inspired him to start his aviation career as a 14-year-old at Aviation High School in Long Island City, NY. He went on to earn his airframe certificate from Aviation High School, a degree from Hampton University in Airway Science, an aircraft dispatcher certificate and he served in the Air Force Reserves as an avionics technician.
Owen’s diverse aviation experience also includes airport operations and security as well as working for airlines like Pan Am and British Airways and lesser-known airlines such as MGM Grand Air and Business Express (Delta Connection). Owen is passionate about introducing a new generation to aviation careers and is interested in working all who share the same passion.
Included in
Adult and Continuing Education Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Vocational Education Commons
Connecting the Dots between Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education and Aviation Professional Shortages
Mori Hosseini Student Union Events Center (Bldg #610) – Rooms 165 E/F
The 2018 Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook report forecasted that the aviation industry needs 790,000 new civil aviation pilots worldwide over the next 20 years. Some airlines have answered the call by creating ab initio (entry-level) programs to recruit, train, and hire their own pilots. However, the 2018 Outlook report also forecasted that the aviation industry needs 754,000 maintenance technicians over the next 20 years. Recently, there has been more attention paid to potential shortages in other aviation careers such as aircraft maintenance technicians but the primary focus is still remains on the pilot population.
One of the factors that will lead to the shortage of aircraft maintenance technicians is the retirements of current aircraft maintenance technicians. Other factors include the lack of knowledge of or interest in aviation careers among the very people that can fill the pipeline, the diminished role of “shop class” in some school systems and competing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs such as robotics and coding.
This paper will address the challenges to attracting new talent to aviation careers as well as innovative ways to help overcome those challenges. This paper will also discuss ways to expand aviation career outreach efforts beyond the K-12 age group to introduce new talent to the aircraft maintenance technician pipeline at a quicker rate.
Comments
Presented during Concurrent Session 10B: STEM Education: Supporting the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals