There is a lot of momentum in Washington for issues that include in their description buzz words like “workforce development,” “career technical education,” and “STEM training.” Aviation is not the only industry suffering from a technical personnel shortage; just google the words and you’ll get hits from stakeholders trying to figure out how to attract the next generation of workers in healthcare, construction and manufacturing.
While there is certainly opportunity for like-minded communities to join forces to address the imminent “skills gap,” it is also imperative that aviation stand out and rise above the noise to educate elected leaders on workforce challenges specific to our industry, and their impact to our local communities.
Each year the Aviation Technician Education Council facilitates a few days of collaboration and education in Washington DC. This year, community representatives are acutely focused on pursing federal support for workforce development initiatives. Specifically, it will educate leadership on the following legislative priorities:
- Modernize outdated aviation maintenance technician school regulations. The regulation dictating what aviation maintenance educational institutions must teach aspiring aviation maintenance mechanics has not been significantly updated in more than 50 years. In an age where technological advances are constantly driving innovation for safer and more efficient aircraft, schools are required to teach techniques for constructing and maintaining the Wright Flyer. Industry is left with the cost of retraining graduates to complete basic tasks required to maintain a modern, sophisticated aircraft. Attendees at the annual conference will ask for congressional support of legislation that would direct the Federal Aviation Administration to issue a direct rule for 14 Code of Federal Regulations part 147, the regulation that dictates static and outdated curriculum requirements.
- Support a skilled and dynamic aviation workforce through grant program funding. Despite facing a shortage of qualified technical workers, the aviation maintenance industry is growing and hiring. Federal funding and support of local workforce programs would train a new generation of skilled workers for high-paying jobs. Attendees will ask Congress to focus on career and technical education programs that create new opportunities for collaboration between employers, government agencies and educational institutions to build programs that align with business needs while reinforcing the importance of applied skills; specifically, two new grant programs created in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-254). Attendees will urge congressional leaders to fully fund the $10 million authorized for these programs as part of the fiscal year (FY) 2020 appropriations process.
- Oppose threats to private, tax paying educational institutions. The Protect Students Act of 2019 (S.867) threatens a vital source of aviation maintenance technical personnel. The legislation would severely limit proprietary aviation maintenance technician schools from serving students and veterans, and negatively impact aerospace companies looking to hire FAA-certificated mechanics and other aviation technical personnel.
During the event, attendees will also get briefings on happenings in Washington impacting aviation technician education from representative of the Federal Aviation Administration, congressional offices, the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the STEM Coalition.
All community stakeholders are welcome to join us on Sept. 11-12, 2019 to learn, educate, and get the word out. Help us tell our story. For more information, including the agenda and registration, visit https://www.atec-amt.org/fly-in.html.
