CVG to open aircraft mechanic school as industry experiences candidate shortage
An aircraft mechanic school will open next year at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
According to a news release from CVG, the Epic Flight Academy school, in partnership with FEAM, is spearheading the 32,292 square-foot facility at the Hebron, Kentucky airport. It will house 300 students and staff.
It will open by early 2024.
The school comes as the aircraft mechanic field is experiencing a shortage, according to an Aviation Technician Education Council report.
The council says nearly 7,000 people earned an FAA mechanic certificate in 2022, a 33% increase from the previous year. That fell short of 2019 levels and didn't make up for the previous year's drop in certifications.
The mechanic pipeline will need to increase production by at least 20% to meet upcoming workforce demand, an ATEC report states. It cites implementing more high school programs as a possible solution.
CVG noted there is a high demand for those positions at its own facilities, as it is the seventh-largest cargo airport in North America.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports aircraft mechanics and service technicians make an average of $69,470 annually
Employment of aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians is expected to grow 6% from 2021 to 2031. That's on pace with the average for all occupations.
Over the decade, it's projected there will be about 13,100 openings in the field. Many job opportunities are expected to come from a need to replace workers who leave the labor force, change careers or retire.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: CVG school will certify more aviation mechanics, technicians
