Gallery: MRO Industry Accelerates Workforce Initiatives

Avelo Airlines on Aug. 8 announced a partnership with U.S. Aviation Academy to create career pathways for maintenance technicians and pilots through accelerated aviation programs at the school. U.S. Aviation Academy launched its Part 147 airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic program in 2021. Its 12-month accelerated A&P mechanic training program is based at Denton Enterprise Airport in Texas.

FEAM launched a partnership with Epic Flight Academy in February to support aviation maintenance students financially while they pursue MRO careers. FEAM will provide students with tuition assistance and a direct pathway to employment in what it says is its first formalized pathway program with tuition aid at an A&P school.

The companies are also exploring development of a Part 147 school at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport to help boost workforce as FEAM experiences significant growth at the location due to e-commerce and cargo demand. It is investing $40.2 million to open a second maintenance hangar.

In early August, AAR launched two new fellowship programs in Indianapolis with Vincennes University and the Aviation Institute of Maintenance. The programs will provide scholarships to students pursuing A&P certificates and the opportunity to work at an AAR MRO facility. Earlier this year, AAR graduated its first class of fellows at a similar program in Rockford, Illinois.

Airbus and GMR Group recently announced a partnership to launch a four-year aircraft maintenance engineering program at GMR School of Aviation in Hyderabad, India. Airbus will train the program’s instructors and provide materials including trainee handbooks, an examination database, online access to its customized basic training modules and Airbus Competence Training. The program is aimed at fulfilling anticipated demand for more than 45,000 new aircraft technicians in India over the next couple of decades.

Joramco’s training arm, Joramco Academy, entered an agreement in June to establish a new MRO training academy in Ghana. Through the agreement, it is supporting Aerojet Aviation in establishing Aerojet Aviation Training Academy at Kotoka International Airport in Accra. Joramco Academy instructors will train the first batch of students alongside local instructors, and Joramco will also help the school obtain regulatory approvals from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, FAA and local Ghanaian authorities.

AerFin partnered with nonprofit RefuAid in May to launch two support initiatives to help refugees from Ukraine and other global conflict zones with resettlement and employment support in the UK. Under these initiatives it will create “launchpad roles” for refugees that will give them immediate employment at AerFin while receiving on-the-job training. It is also working with the nonprofit to sponsor refugees so they can obtain language training tuition, resettlement advice and support with recertification of qualifications.

Earlier this year, Vallair invested in EASA Part 147 training organization Aircraft Academy as part of its efforts to recruit and train 300 mechanics and engineers over the next five years. It says the investment will help it both recruit and train new staff while also providing ongoing developmental training and skill enhancement for its current MRO workforce in France.

Heston MRO expanded its technical training program in June with several new regulatory approvals from Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority for training courses covering a variety of additional aircraft and engine types. The new training capabilities include theory and practical courses, full type rating and differences training for Airbus A320 family, Boeing 737NG and 787 aircraft, as well as their associated engines.

Delta Air Lines restarted one of its youth workforce pipeline efforts in July following a two-year pandemic hiatus. It hosted 72 students in partnership with the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, ACE Academy and Solo Flight Academy to teach students about career pathways for aviation maintenance technicians (AMT), pilots and engineers.

As part of the program, students toured Delta TechOps’ Atlanta facility and learned about the role of AMTs and engineers.

Aer Lingus launched its 2022 Aircraft Maintenance & Engineering Apprentice Scheme in June, under which it plans to hire 10 apprentices. Under the four-year program, apprentices will receive classroom training in Shannon and Dublin, as well as on-the-job training at Aer Lingus’ hangar at Dublin Airport. It says apprentices will primarily work on line maintenance and, upon completion of the program, will be fully qualified aircraft engineers at the airline.

Since first launching the program in 2011, Aer Lingus says it has hired 113 maintenance and engineering apprentices directly from the program.

At the beginning of the year the FAA awarded $5 million in Aviation Maintenance Technical Workers Workforce Development Grants as part of efforts to train the next-generation MRO workforce. The grants were awarded to 15 schools in the U.S. that teach technical skills and prepare students for aviation maintenance careers.

In April, the FAA announced it was taking applications for another round of the grants. It has not yet announced which schools will receive these grants.