The rising rate of retirement in the aerospace industry combined with the aging of the aerospace workforce raises concerns that the aerospace industry will experience a shortage of critical technical capabilities. The purpose of the qualitative Delphi study using both qualitative and quantitative methods following modified Delphi techniques was to ascertain the perceptions of Generation X aerospace engineers regarding optimal knowledge transfer strategies, processes, and methods to capture knowledge from retiring baby boomer aerospace engineers. A group of 24 Generation X aerospace engineers, born between 1965 and 1976, participated in three rounds of data collection. Through qualitative coding of the Generation X feedback, two major themes emerged: (a) the quality of the relationship between the sender and receiver of knowledge and (b) the environmental conditions enabling knowledge transfer. Upon the completion of round 3, the panelists reached consensus on 26 statements regarding knowledge transfer mechanisms that might facilitate the capture and transfer of knowledge from baby boomer engineers to Generation X engineers. The findings from all survey rounds inspired the creation of a knowledge transfer model depicting the methods, processes, and strategies identified by panelists as facilitating optimal knowledge transfer from baby boomer engineers to Generation X engineers.
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