Meeting the Workforce Needs in Corporate Aviation Maintenance

摘要

The shortage of aviation technicians in the United States has reached a troubling level. Corporate aviation, as well as major airlines and aircraft manufacturers, share this problem as individuals have chosen to enter the field of aviation maintenance in steadily decreasing numbers. This decline has been going on for nearly a decade and a half. The aviation industry must address this shortage as a community, sharing resources, discoveries and ideas, in order to implement positive changes. Many aviation maintenance positions are unfilled, industrywide, at this very moment. Implementation of overtime is often necessary to maintain schedules and productivity levels, due to understaffing. Low enrollment at many aviation-training facilities in the U.S. emphasizes the fact that this shortage is not just an immediate concern. In addition, statistics show that minorities and women are under-represented in aviation maintenance careers. With these factors in mind, research has been undertaken at Southern Illinois University to determine some of the underlying reasons. This research is also aimed at identifying misperceptions interested students might encounter regarding aviation maintenance as a career choice. Preliminary data shows some of the dynamics revealed in research efforts to date, including comprehensive differences noted between men, women, ethnic and white research participants.