Labor Department Job Outlook Raises Questions

It is no secret that the aviation maintenance industry faces workforce challenges. The often-cited Boeing Market Outlook foresees global technician demand to reach 679,000 by 2035, an Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) survey suggests that the skills gap could cost the maintenance industry $1.95 billion, and Oliver Wyman forecasts that by 2027, U.S. demand for maintenance technicians will outstrip supply by 9%. Airbus recently added its prediction to the fray, estimating that the commercial fleet will require more than a half-million new technicians by 2036. This, of course, does not take into account non-commercial aviation or studies such as the one recently commissioned by the European Business Aviation Association that warns other sectors of challenges ahead.