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Members of the Aeronautical Repair Station  more than three dozen organizations, representing a cross section
        Association’s 2018 who responded to a survey  of the aviation industry, wrote to the US Transportation secretary
        picked the technician shortage as the biggest  and sought full funding for the aviation technician and pilot recruit-
        strategic  threat  to  the  US$47  billion  main-  ment and education programs created by the 2018 Federal Aviation
        tenance industry. More than 80 percent of  Administration (FAA) reauthorization law.
        respondents reported difficulty finding quali-
        fied technicians; more than 50 percent of the  The programmes, which have been authorized US$5 million each,
        responding companies said they had unfilled  are intended to facilitate collaboration between schools, state and
        positions. According to the Aviation Technician  local government entities, businesses and labor organizations to
        Education Council, new entrants make up only  attract and educate technicians and pilots. Under the law, avi-
        two percent of the aviation technician popula-  ation technical workforce grants can be used for scholarships,
        tion annually, compared to 30 percent of the  apprenticeships, establishing new training programs, purchasing
        workforce being at or near retirement age.   equipment for schools and supporting career transition for mem-
                                                     bers of the armed forces. Among the issues that have negatively
        With the center of gravity of the aviation indus-  impacted the growth of the AMT workforce is the prevailing negative
        try moving to Asia Pacific, it is no surprise  perceptions of hands-on skilled labor. This has caused substantial
        that the region, which is expected to see the  talent loss; according to the Aviation Technical Education Council
        induction of nearly 17,000 new aircraft by 2037,  (ATEC), close to 30 percent of graduates from certified aviation
        will need more qualified technicians than any  maintenance schools end ultimately pursue work in other indus-
        other. Of the total global demand for 754,000  tries. According to industry experts, the overall lack of awareness
        AMTs, Asia Pacific will account for 257,000  of aviation maintenance careers, even among those looking for
        with North America in second position with  technical careers, hasn’t helped as well.
        a demand for 189,000 new technicians. The
        demand in Europe will be for 132,000 new  The biggest stumbling block in the US, however, has been the delay
        technicians while the Middle East and Latin  in revising Part 147, the regulations that govern the training curric-
        America will follow with 66,000 and 55,000  ulum and certification of AMTs. Industry players are in favor of the
        respectively. Africa will experience a demand  prescriptive curriculum language being removed to allow educa-
        for 28,000 new AMTs while Russia / Central  tional institutions the flexibility to develop relevant industry-based
        Asia will require 27,000.                    curriculum using today’s educational design methodologies, but



































        Government Help Sought                       Part 147 has not changed significantly in 50 years even though
        Even as MRO companies do their bit to ensure  the industry and related technologies have changed beyond rec-
        new talent joins the workforce, there has been  ognition. The FAA is said to be working on adopting new Airman
        a concerted effort on part of the aviation indus-  Certification Standards and a major revamp of Part 147 regulations,
        try in the US to ensure that the government  but two previous attempts at revising the rules, in 1994 and 1998,
        extends a helping hand. In February this year,  were dropped following industry pushback.


        16 | March/April 2019                                                      WWW .GBP .COM.SG/ AAA
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