Press Release: VT Mobile Aerospace Engineering (MAE), a subsidiary of ST Engineering, is sharing details on their comprehensive efforts to train and hire Pensacola area workers for high-skilled technical positions, in light of recent reporting surrounding its hiring of non-local technicians.
A Regional and National Workforce Crisis
In Pensacola and across the U.S., companies are experiencing a shortage of skilled aircraft technicians. Industry sources such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimate an annual shortage of 13,000 aircraft technicians in the U.S. Over the next decade, leading aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus project a ten-year shortage of more than 700,000 qualified maintenance personnel worldwide, with over 100,000 of those
positions needed in North America.
Compounding this problem is the fact that current training programs are not producing enough technicians. According to a recent Government Accountability Office report, the current U.S. pipeline for aircraft technicians is only producing 7,000 new mechanics each year.
Addressing the Regional Workforce Shortage
MAE employs more than 400 people in its Pensacola operation. The company is taking significant steps to expand operations and continue building a robust workforce in the Pensacola area.
MAE’s local workforce development efforts include on-site training and apprenticeship programs for new employees, as well as financial support and investments that enrich the training and education resources for the community. For instance, MAE has invested more than $185,000 in an on-the-job training center for Pensacola State College students in its Hanger 1 facility. The firm has also committed $5 million over 10 years to support enrollment in local Airframe and Power Plant certification programs, and $100,000 over the next five years to support the “Mayor’s Scholarship”, an initiative MAE started in 2019 to enable local high school students to pursue a career in aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul.
MAE will continue to engage with the Mayor’s Office and other community partners to explore additional ways to create jobs, training opportunities, and a strong local economy for all of Pensacola and Northwest Florida. MAE looks forward to sharing more about this and other initiatives with the community.
As in the past, MAE also plans to supplement its workforce with highly skilled, experienced aviation professionals from Chile to address the current labor shortage in the Pensacola area. In addition to helping to supplement MAE’s workforce, these qualified professionals come to the U.S. on a temporary non-immigrant work authorization to coach and train the next generation of aerospace technicians.
Supporting Chilean Workers The company is exploring alternate work authorization options for the 60 Chilean employees whose current authorizations have expired, as of the date of this release.
“These workers are highly skilled, valued team members, and we regret the challenges this issue is causing them and their families,” said Alvin Bass, Senior Vice President/GM of MAE. “We have invited all those who want to return to MAE to consider applying for new positions that will be supported by an alternate work authorization. We will do all we can to support them in this period.”
As part of the efforts to support these affected employees, MAE is working with them individually to assess their needs and plans, and providing goodwill financial support and travel costs during the alternate work authorization process for those who want to potentially return to the company.
ST’s release cites GAO testimony before the Aviation Subcommittee of the House Transportation & Infrastructure committee, which mainly addresses pilots and the difficulty in meeting pilot demands in the regional airline industry. The regional airline industry had difficulty retaining pilots because of paltry pay. This was widely reported after the Buffalo Colgan Flight 3407 crash in 2009, a watershed event for aviation. Before that, some regional pilots were paid wages that qualified them for food stamps at the time.
We all want job creation and economic development. The public has provided substantial funding for ST infrastructure at Pensacola Airport. The public commitment is reflected in continued investments in ST and profits which increased nearly 20 percent last year. But the recent shenanigans and lack of transparency are deeply disturbing, and if ST treats guest workers in such an inhumane manner, we should not expect local workers to be treated differently.