A new industry report shows the aviation sector's push to recruit maintenance workers is producing measurable results, even as looming retirements and industry growth continue to strain the technician pipeline. The Aviation Technician Education Council and Oliver Wyman jointly published the latest Pipeline Report this week, tracking the flow of new mechanics into the US aviation maintenance workforce.
According to the report, 11,103 new FAA airframe and powerplant mechanic certificates were issued in 2025, a jump from the prior year. Part 147 aviation maintenance technician schools accounted for a large share of that growth, producing 7,496 new certificate holders alongside a notable rise in program enrollment. Military-to-civilian transitions into aviation maintenance careers also grew, though at a slower pace than the school-based pipeline.
Despite the gains, analysts cited in the report project a shortfall of roughly 25,000 technical personnel across North America by 2030, including about 20,000 certificated mechanics. Industry groups point to an aging technician workforce nearing retirement and continued fleet expansion as the primary drivers of that projected gap.
ATEC's executive director said the growth trend and its underlying drivers are encouraging signs that the industry is making progress in expanding and diversifying its technical workforce, while adding that sustained momentum is still needed to meet both near-term and long-term demand. Programs introducing high school students to aviation maintenance careers, along with expanded trade school capacity, were named among the efforts credited with the recent gains.
The report's authors noted that finding enough qualified instructors, many of whom could otherwise remain working in the industry or in retirement, remains an ongoing obstacle to further expanding training capacity.
Source: Aviation Week -- https://aviationweek.com/mro/workforce-training/efforts-grow-us-maintenance-workforce-paying