Trump Struggles to Fill Aviation Jobs Amid Manufacturing Boom

The Struggle to Find Skilled Workers in the Aviation Industry

The average age of a certified aircraft mechanic in the U.S. is 54, and 40% of them are over the age of 60, according to a joint 2024 report from the Aviation Technician Education Council and consulting firm Oliver Wyman, which cites Federal Aviation Administration data. The U.S. will be short 25,000 aircraft technicians by 2028, according to the report. This shortage of skilled workers is a major concern for the aviation industry, as it threatens to hinder the production and maintenance of aircraft.

The Impact of Retirement and Covid on the Industry

"A lot of them were hired on in the ’80s and early ’90s. You just start doing some math and you start saying at some point they’re going to retire," said American Airlines Chief Operating Officer David Seymour, who oversees the carrier’s more than 6,000 daily flights. The industry was already facing a retirement wave when Covid hit, and companies cut or offered buyouts to experienced workers — from those who build aircraft to those who maintain them to keep flying. "People forget that the aerospace industry was in a pretty serious ramp at the time pre-Covid. And then frankly, of course overnight we went from ramping to zero demand over time. And so we lost a lot of talent," said Christian Meisner, GE Aerospace’s chief human resources officer.

Efforts to Attract Younger Workers

To boost their ranks, airlines and big manufacturers of airplanes and their thousands of components are trying to get more younger people interested in the field. GE, along with its French joint venture partner Safran, makes the bestselling engines that power Boeing and Airbus top-selling jetliners, and has been ramping up hiring. The company has a strong retention rate and some employees earn their FAA licenses to work on airplane engines or airframes on the job. At GE’s engine plant in Lafayette, Indiana, about an hour outside of Indianapolis, base pay averages between $80,000 and $90,000 a year, based on qualifications and experience.

The Rewards of a Career in Aviation

Median pay for aircraft technicians or mechanics was $79,140 a year in the U.S. in 2024, compared with a nationwide median income of $49,500, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The agency projects 13,400 job openings in the field each year over the next decade. American’s Seymour said that with new pay raises, technicians could make $130,000 a year at the top of their pay scale in nine years at the carrier. While many experts don’t expect jobs that have been shipped abroad like clothing manufacturing to come back to the U.S., high-value sectors tend to pay much more and are more likely to stick around.

The Challenge of Hiring in a Competitive Market

The impending worker shortages aren’t just for those who repair aircraft and engines. A shortfall of air traffic controllers has also stifled airline growth and raised concerns about safety in recent years. The Trump administration has said it will raise wages and ramp up hiring to try to reverse yearslong shortfalls. Manufacturing is about 9% of U.S. employment but "we all have a bit of a fetish with manufacturing because we focus on it more and than other sectors," said Gordon Hanson, a professor of urban policy at Harvard University. One problem with manufacturing jobs, Hanson said, is that workers aren’t very geographically mobile, and if factories reopen or hiring ramps up, that could make it harder to attract employees from other places.

Looking to the Future

Getting FAA licenses can take years, but the reward can be high. Some students are considering forgoing traditional four-year college degrees straight out of high school to get into the industry. "I’m thinking about going to college, but it’s whichever really comes first. If they give me an opportunity to go to the airlines, I’d like to do that," said Sam Mucciardi, a senior at Aviation High School in Queens, New York. The public school offers its roughly 2,000 students the option to stay on for a fifth year to earn their FAA licenses with training at the school.

Conclusion

The aviation industry is facing a severe shortage of skilled workers, with the average age of certified aircraft mechanics being 54 and 40% of them over 60. The industry is trying to attract younger workers by offering competitive pay and benefits, as well as providing training and education opportunities. However, the challenge of hiring in a competitive market and the need for geographical mobility are major concerns. As the industry looks to the future, it is clear that attracting and retaining skilled workers will be crucial to its success.

FAQs

Q: What is the average age of a certified aircraft mechanic in the U.S.?
A: The average age of a certified aircraft mechanic in the U.S. is 54.
Q: How many aircraft technicians will the U.S. be short of by 2028?
A: The U.S. will be short 25,000 aircraft technicians by 2028.
Q: What is the median pay for aircraft technicians or mechanics in the U.S.?
A: The median pay for aircraft technicians or mechanics was $79,140 a year in the U.S. in 2024.
Q: How many job openings are projected in the field of aircraft technicians or mechanics each year over the next decade?
A: The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 13,400 job openings in the field each year over the next decade.
Q: What is the starting pay for technicians at GE’s engine plant in Lafayette, Indiana?
A: The base pay averages between $80,000 and $90,000 a year, based on qualifications and experience.