Maintenance staff shortage could clip aviation industry's wings

The United States is grappling with a shortage of maintenance workers in the aviation industry, with baby boomers retiring and others changing jobs during the pandemic. This comes as the global fleet of commercial aircraft is set to balloon a third by 2034, involving more than 36,400 vessels, according to a recent study by consulting firm Oliver Wyman. In its wake, spending in the maintenance, repair and overhaul market is projected to grow almost 20% by 2034. But the sector suffers from a shortfall of qualified manpower - and an inadequate pipeline of talent. It lacks some 24,000 aviation maintenance technicians in North America, a figure due to reach nearly 40,000 by 2028, Oliver Wyman notes. This gap is not one that the renowned Aviation High School in Long Island will be able to fill with its cohorts totalling 2,000 students. "I don't think the Aviation High Schools have enough capacity to train enough people," said Steven Jackson, principal of the Aviation High School in Long Island City. "We are one of the largest high schools and it would be hard to scale it up further," he added. The school is one of 28 certified by the US FAA, and trains future aviation maintenance technicians who can either enter the workforce after high school or further their studies in universities. "The job market is good and there is more money so, at the moment, more go straight to work than before," Jackson told AFP.<br/>