An estimated 22,000 service members with aviation maintenance backgrounds leave the military every year, according to the Aviation Technician Education Council. At the same time in the civilian world, the business aviation industry is facing serious workforce challenges.
“Right now, we’re facing a technician shortage,” said NBAA Maintenance Committee member Nate Dietsch, who served in the Marine Corps for 14 years as a flight engineer for C-130s and military VIP transport. “In the next few years, we’re going to have a lot of technicians retiring. Keeping the talent pipeline flowing is going to be challenging because a lot of service members aren’t aware of the business aviation sector.”
Through their military experience, veterans often develop the discipline, sense of teamwork and other job skills that make them ideal candidates to fill business aviation’s vacant positions. They also tend to excel in problem-solving and adapt quickly to changes in technology and responsibility, making them versatile.
‘They Literally Changed My Life’
NBAA Maintenance Committee member Kevin Flynn, who served in the Air Force as an A-10 crew chief, said having a military background helped him succeed in business aviation.
Before he separated, Flynn was able to get into a program that allowed him to train and test for an FAA A&P certificate. “I was able to pretty much hit the ground running when I separated, which was the key, because there’s a lot of people who, at the end of their enlistments, just didn’t plan,” Flynn said. “They were kind of like, ‘What do I do now? Where am I going to live? What am I going to do for work to make money in the interim?’ So, I credit a few people at the time who mentioned I should get my A&P. They literally changed my life.”
Wanted: 102,000 Business Aviation Professionals
By 2034, the business aviation industry will need to add an estimated 102,000 workers, according to CAE – including 69,000 new business aviation AMTs. Here are a few tips aimed at helping service members smoothly transition to business aviation:
- If you’re still serving as a military aviation maintenance technician, earn your FAA A&P certificate before you separate from the military.
- Use LinkedIn to build a network of industry contacts who can help your job search.
- Track job boards at jobs.nbaa.org, charter companies, maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities (MROs) and aircraft manufacturers.
- Attend business aviation events such as the NBAA Maintenance Conference and the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), which often have specific programs, such as Military Connect, designed to help transitioning service personnel.
- Get involved in local and regional business aviation groups. Introduce yourself and network.
- Find and apply for scholarships like the NBAA Maintenance AMT Scholarship or the Hank Hilsman Memorial Scholarship.
- Before separation, get specific civilian work experience through the Department of Defense SkillBridge Program.
Learn more about NBAA scholarships at nbaa.org/scholarships.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.