Since 2019, a small firm based in east Vancouver, Washington has been aggressively creating new opportunities for young people to access the pathways for careers in Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT). Aviation Maintenance Technicians are the professionals that are most needed at this time. According to aviation leaders, 500,000 new AMTs are needed to replace a retiring and overworked workforce nationally. Internationally the numbers are even greater!
Why are new Aviation Maintenance Technicians needed? SAFETY in the skies, which is what AMTs provide for all of us. Witness the many airline mishaps in the news recently. Shocking, because we’ve all taken airline safety for granted. Many of these hard-working professionals began their careers 30-40 years ago, with most coming out of the military where they gained training, certification and employment. Since the COVID pandemic layoffs, airline travel has more than rebounded. Given the even greater demand and stress, aircraft mechanics are retiring en masse. This means that an ambitious, coordinated effort is required to replace them, and that is what we have been working to achieve.
The new workforce being sought are middle and high school students who are currently trying to imagine their work opportunities after they graduate. Most are unaware that their penchant to “fix things” could lead to an incredibly stable and rewarding career in Aircraft Maintenance Technology. These opportunities allude them, because they have not been made aware through effective means.
Here are some of the successful initiatives that have been created by Ryan Strategies International so far:
• Creation of a brand-new AMT program at a regional community college bridging Oregon and Washington States, connecting students to airlines offering good starting salaries after 18 months of training and certification, along with the great benefits and travel opportunities.
• Sponsorships of money, training, surplus parts and expertise by successful aviation and airline leaders.
• Development of AMT career awareness and student outreach programs for elementary, middle and high school students.
• Building of new AMT career pathway relationships between industry leadership and educators.
• Outreach to government regulators and career facilitators to offer the proven approaches to recruit students to the profession. Especially highlighting where their skills are needed.
At a time when many young people are struggling with mental health issues and a sense of frustration and isolation, the promotion of AMT careers may offer them a sense of purpose and new possibilities. They will recognize the aging workforce can be reinvigorated with their enthusiasm for the new environmentally sustainable fuels, new flight technologies, flight guidance and safety instrumentation, and much more!
Robert Ryan, president of Ryan Strategies International, is passionate about creating this avenue for young people to have meaningful, properly compensated careers. He is motivated by his experience working as a business volunteer helping high school students to learn essential business skills, and by working one on one to help them graduate. Members of his own, and the co-founder’s family had been aviation maintenance technicians for part or all of their careers. He understands and values this field of work as a successful and rewarding career.
He envisions similar careers addressing the workforce needs in Unmanned Aerial Systems and Aerospace. “I was brought-up during the first Space Race, and now we are on to another thrust forward, into the future of global flight and exploration of the universe.”
For more information contact: ryanstrategies@aol.com: 503-250-2337