Helicopter Industry Fears a Shortage of 40,000 Mechanics by 2036, Experts Suggest Education Key to Closing Gap

    May 15, 2018
    This means high school students and working professionals who seek a career change must be made aware of the lasting value and job satisfaction available through trade school training.
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    According to job forecasts by the Helicopter Association International, helicopter pilots and mechanics are projected to be in dangerously short supply over the next two decades. 

    As the study shows, industry experts expect a shortage of 7,469 pilots and 40,613 mechanics between 2018 and 2036. Worrisome findings from the study reveal that these employment and expertise problems have already begun to affect the current job market: 

    “Over 67% of respondents to the survey indicated they are already experiencing difficulties in finding mechanics to employ. Over 60% report hiring mechanics with less experiences than they hired in previous years, and over 50% report in the next five years the inability to hire qualified mechanics will interfere with their ability to grow and expand.”

    Without well-trained pilots and skilled mechanics, helicopter-related companies will struggle to staff their teams, satisfy their customers, and expand their businesses. Add this job forecast to the equally concerning findings from Boeing across the aeronautics industry and the story becomes clear: a lack of pilots and technicians who can safely transport people and cargo through the air spells looming trouble for America’s economy and of particular concern is the EMS and Air Ambulance sector, which comprises among the greatest use of helicopter service. (see chart below or page 14 of linked study.)

    To solve this problem and close the helicopter industry’s employment gap, thousands of new applicants must obtain the required training and certifications to fill these job openings. 

    This means high school students and working professionals who seek a career change must be made aware of the lasting value and job satisfaction available through trade school training.

    ABOUT PITTSBURGH INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICS 

    The school was opened by Glenn Curtiss and Orville Wright in 1927 as Curtiss-Wright Flying Service, and became PIA in 1929. Today, PIA is a non-profit, career-focused family of schools offering programs in Aviation Maintenance and Aviation Electronics.

    The instructional staff combine real-world experience with classroom instruction, and a wide range of student and graduate services.  PIA’s Career Services team works individually with each student to reach their employment goals. PIA is often the first stop for many employers looking for quality employees. PIA offers an Associate in Specialized Technology Degree at its West Mifflin, PA, location and Diploma programs in Youngstown, OH, Hagerstown, MD, and Myrtle Beach, SC. 

    Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics was recognized among the top schools fighting the nation’s skills gap in a list published in 2017 by Forbes. The Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics lands as the No. 11 Two-Year Trade School in the U.S. and is the top school on the list for technical trades. 

    Niche rankings place Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics in the #8 position among 619 trade schools in the United States for 2017 and #2 of 23 in Pennsylvania. Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of data and reviews. Additionally, in 2017, Zippia placed PIA among the top 10 best U.S. junior colleges for jobs based on a variety of score card data including emphasis on job placement results.

    PIA’s campuses in Pittsburgh, Youngstown, Hagerstown and Myrtle Beach have been selected as four of approximately 40 aircraft maintenance schools to partner with Delta Air Lines in an effort to find the schools whose graduates are able to meet or exceed their high expectations. There is open enrollment through the year accompanied with admissions requirements. For more information, call 1-800-444-1440, or visit www.pia.edu.