FAA commits $5 million to support aviation maintenance workforce

The FAA has unveiled the Aviation Maintenance Technical Workforce Development Grant Program to recruit students for careers in aviation maintenance.

“The goal is to provide grants to academia and the aviation community to help prepare a more inclusive talent pool of aviation maintenance technicians, to inspire and recruit the next generation of aviation professionals,” FAA officials said. 

Congress appropriated $5 million in Fiscal Year 2020 to fund projects to address the projected shortages of aviation maintenance technical workers in the aviation industry.

The types of projects supported under the new grant program includes:

• Establish new educational programs that teach technical skills used in aviation maintenance, including purchasing equipment, or to improve existing programs
• Enhance aviation maintenance technical education or aviation maintenance industry workforce
• To establish scholarships or apprenticeships for individuals pursuing employment in the aviation maintenance industry
• Support outreach about careers in the aviation maintenance industry to primary, secondary, and post-secondary school students and communities under-represented in the industry
• Support transition to careers in aviation maintenance, including members of the Armed Forces
• Support educational opportunities related to aviation maintenance in economically disadvantaged geographic areas.

Eligible groups can apply for grants from $25,000 to $500,000 for any one grant in a fiscal year.

Potential applicants can visit the FAA’s website for more information.

The FAA posted the announcement in the Federal Register Sept. 8, 2020, and will accept public comments until Sept. 23, 2020.