Avionics News February 2023 - 29

meet projected workforce
demand. "
Simple awareness of
AMT training programs " is
continually cited as one of the
top barriers to program growth, "
ATEC added. " The industry would
stand to benefit from a focused,
national effort to drive enrollment into
A&P schools. " Adding to the lack of
student awareness of the AMT profession is
the cost of the education necessary to ready a
person for the Federal Aviation Administration's
A&P certification exams. While there's no lack of
companies scrambling for every available AMT to
add to their employee ranks, the number of organizations
willing to put money on the table to help students navigate
the industry pipeline is significantly smaller.
Bangor, Maine-based C&L Aviation Group recently
stepped up to the plate when it announced a $24,000 fulltuition
scholarship to be awarded to some lucky Bangor
area high school senior. The financial nudge will cover
the cost of earning an airframe and powerplant license
during a 14-month program at the Rome, New York,
campus of Mohawk Valley Community College. Once the
scholarship winner completes the program at Mohawk
and earns their A&P certificate, C&L will add that newly
licensed technician to their staff at the Bangor MRO. C&L
is a full-service maintenance and repair facility servicing
regional and corporate aircraft. As well as offering parts and
maintenance, the company focuses on aircraft painting and
interior work and avionics installation and upgrades.
Students interested in more information about the
program can visit the C&L scholarship website at careers.
cla.aero/scholarship or speak with their high school guidance
departments.
A glance at the current AMT population
ATEC's Pipeline Report offered a deep dive into the current
AMT workforce. That overview said, " The FAA airmen
database numbers published in 2021 include 313,093
certificated mechanics, a 2.2% increase over the previous
year's population. The number of mechanics has stayed
relatively flat over the past two decades. " In total, 6,929
men and women earned their FAA mechanic certificate last
year, a 33% increase from the previous year. " Although
the jump was the biggest realized in recent history - and
largely expected given the pandemic-induced backlog - the
increase fell short of 2019 levels and did not make up for
the previous year's 30% drop in certifications. "
Ten years ago, females made up a tiny percentage of the
AMT workforce at just over 2%. While that number has
risen to 2.63%, the total is inching ahead at a snail's pace.
Pipeline noted, " The aviation mechanic population continues
to grow older. The average FAA mechanic is 53, some
11 years older than traditional U.S. workers as reported by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Thirty-eight percent of the
mechanic population is age 60 or older. " Females make up
a younger demographic with an average of 45. Schools are
also producing more female mechanics than the experienced-based
pipelines - 6% of AMTS-sourced mechanics
were female, compared to 3% for those sourced from
military or civilian experience.
While all paths to AMT certification - technical schools,
the U.S. military and civilian experience - created many
fewer technicians last year than in 2021, " A&P schools
faired the best, with a 28% decline in new certifications
compared to a 32% decline in the number of individuals
achieving FAA certification via previous military or civilian
experience. " Sharp AMT hopefuls must keep their eyes
open for opportunities like the C&L scholarship. The larger
question is whether more companies within the industry
will make the decision that it's time to help young people
cover the cost of the education necessary to win a place in
the next-generation workforce. q
avionics news * february 2023 29
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