Tailored MRO Training Programs Target Workforce Growth, Reskilling
Companies are customizing aviation maintenance training through technology and tailored programs to reach a wider pool of future technicians.
Virtual Widebody Classrooms
Company: Etihad Airways Technical Training
As a part of the Etihad Aviation Group, Etihad Airways Technical Training’s facility is a Part 145 and Part 147 maintenance training organization approved by the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). It features virtual classrooms where students can train on a virtual Boeing 787 or Airbus A380, which Etihad says enhances the learning experience and reduces the total practical hours required for training. In 2020, it also adapted to the pandemic by implementing asynchronous learning elements and remote examinations.
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Bespoke Training Courses
Company: Integra Aerospace
UK-based Integra Aerospace creates bespoke training courses for MRO providers and training organizations through the blended-learning concept, which splits curriculum between online training and physical classrooms. The approach, which includes subjects ranging from aircraft type training to compliance or human factors, enables students to learn at their own pace through courses tailored to their individual knowledge and skill level. Integra Aerospace is launching a YouTube channel dedicated to personal and professional development within aviation maintenance, including addressing the issue of skill-fade of technicians returning to the industry post-pandemic.
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Prepping Veterans for MRO Careers
Company: VIPER Transitions
Nonprofit VIPER Transitions, which works to help service members transition from military to civilian life, is launching its first aircraft maintenance workforce program this month. The program is designed to take veterans at any skill level and prepare them for careers in MRO. The 12-week program will be conducted from facilities near Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Alaska and is being supported by the University of Alaska and the Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM), which are providing equipment and curriculum. Graduates of the program will have the opportunity to continue training at AIM or begin work at a VIPER partner company such as AAR to finish pursuing their airframe and powerplant certification.
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Adaptive Learning Platform
Company: Fulcrum Labs
Fulcrum Labs provides an adaptive learning platform that uses artificial intelligence to adjust content based on a learner’s behaviors and performance, similar to a video game. For nearly five years, it has been partnered with the Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM), which uses Fulcrum’s Adaptive 3.0 learning platform to prepare students for FAA certification exams. AIM says the platform has improved pass rates to more than 95%. It is also using the platform as a refresher tool for instructors in areas they might not have taught recently. Fulcrum has partnered with Lorenzo Walker Technical College in Florida recently, and it is discussing partnerships with several other aviation maintenance training organizations.
marketplace.aviationweek.com/company/fulcrum-labs
Distance Learning and Examinations
Company: All4Jets
Aftermarket services provider All4Jets operates a maintenance training organization approved by the Polish Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with EASA Part 147 aircraft type training. It also provides initial and refresher training courses in areas such as human factors, fuel tank safety and electrical wiring interconnection systems. The company has begun offering online training and distance examinations during the COVID-19 pandemic, which it says has helped to expand its global reach. All4Jets is now looking into implementing 3D-based technology for its training programs, which it says will provide time- and cost-saving benefits for customers.