FAA Awards $10 Million to Develop the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals

Half of the development grants will be dedicated to training aspiring A&P technicians. [File Photo: Adobe Stock]

The FAA recently awarded $10 million to schools around the country to educate aspiring aviation professionals.

The Aircraft Pilots Aviation Workforce Development Grants and the Aviation Maintenance Technical Workers Workforce Development Grants were awarded to accredited higher-education institutions, high schools, state and local governments, and flight schools.

Half of the $10 million will be directed to schools to develop the next generation of pilots. The other $5 million is anticipated to be used to train and educate the next generation of aviation maintenance technicians.

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“Our investment in the aviation workforce of the future must begin today,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in a statement. “These grants help nurture interest in aviation at an early age to build a career during one of the most dynamic times in aviation history.”

Development of Pilots

Schools can use the funds to create and drive curriculum to prepare students to become aviation professionals such as: aircraft pilots, aerospace engineers, or unmanned aircraft systems operators.

The main goal of this program is to establish a pipeline of pilots amid projected shortages in the industry.

The grant recipients are:

Florida State College, Jacksonville, Florida: $498,000
Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City, Michigan: $90,000
Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, North Carolina: $269,000
University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota: $488,000
County of Scottsbluff School District #16, Gering, Nebraska: $500,000
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, Flushing, New York: $498,000
Aerotrek Flight Academy LLC, Wadsworth, Ohio: $77,000
Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: $491,000
Harrisburg University of Science & Technology, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: $135,000
Spartanburg County School District #5 (James. F. Byrnes High School), Duncan, South Carolina: $31,000
South Carolina Department of Education, Columbia, South Carolina: $425,000
Florence School District One, Florence, South Carolina: $339,000
Crowley Independent School District #912, Crowley, Texas: $139,500
Utah State University, Logan, Utah: $238,500
Randolph Macon Academy, Front Royal, Virginia: $307,000
Old Dominion University Research Foundation/Virginia Space Grant Consortium, Norfolk, Virginia: $474,000

Development of Aviation Maintenance Technicians

The schools selected to develop the next generation of aviation maintenance technicians can utilize the funds to create new educational programs and/or award scholarships or apprenticeships to aspiring aviation professionals.

One of the goals of the grants is to support educational opportunities related to aviation maintenance in economically disadvantaged areas.

“A career as an aviation maintenance technician opens a wide world of opportunity. These grants will allow us to reach and support individuals who may not have had the chance to pursue this exciting career before,” FAA Deputy Administrator Bradley Mims said in a statement.

Grant recipients:

Macon County School District, Tuskegee, Alabama: $425,000
Pima County Community College District, Tucson, Arizona: $490,000
North Orange County Community College District, Anaheim, California: $250,000
San Bernardino Community College District, San Bernardino, California: $400,000
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Washington, D.C.: $450,000
DLK Aviation Inc., Kennesaw, Georgia: $250,000
Iowa Western Community College, Council Bluffs, Iowa: $475,000
Southern University at Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana: $500,000
Dutchess Community College, Fairview, New York: $450,000
Guilford County School System, High Pint, North Carolina: $45,500
Columbus State Community College, Columbus, Ohio: $250,000
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma: $450,000
Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, Pennsylvania: $214,500
South Carolina Department of Education, Charleston, South Carolina: $250,000
Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Madison, Wisconsin: $100,000

aerospace engineers aviation maintenance technicians or unmanned aircraft systems operators.pilot Schools can use the funds to create and drive curriculum to prepare students to become aviation professionals such as: aircraft pilots Training

Ashley BarajasWriter

Based in Texas, Ashley is the former Marketing Manager at FLYING and focuses deeply on training and education. She graduated from the Baylor Institute for Air Science with a Bachelor's in Aviation Science and holds an MBA specializing in Marketing. She is an also instrument rated private pilot and licensed FAA dispatcher.