A new aviation maintenance technician training program at Pueblo Community College (PCC) in Colorado is expected to launch in fall 2026, powered by a state grant.
The training program, announced Jan. 6, 2026, is under development by CAE Training Center, the City of Pueblo, and PCC to train new aviation maintenance technicians “with an emphasis on serving former coal workers, veterans, and high school graduates,” according to officials.
In November 2025, the Colorado Economic Development Commission approved $471,423 to support the program. The funding is part of an ongoing effort by Governor Jared Polis, the Business Funding & Incentives division of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), and the Office of Just Transition (OJT) to support communities that have relied on coal mines and coal-fired power plants for employment to find new sources of jobs and property tax revenues, state officials explained.
The grant will support staff wages, renovations, equipment, and curriculum development over the next two-and-a-half years.
“PCC is committed to the ongoing sustainability of the AMT program after the grant’s completion,” officials added.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the aviation industry will need to fill approximately 12,000 aircraft mechanic positions annually to meet demand as aircraft mechanics retire.
For more information: PuebloCC.edu
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