Since its inception, and with the generous support of the aviation community, Choose Aerospace has awarded more than $240k in funding, books, testing fees, and equipment to support continued education for aspiring aviators.
 
Now, we’re taking our scholarship program to the next level. Choose Aerospace is dramatically expanding its impact through a complete program overhaul—one that provides greater funding for future aviators and builds stronger connections between educators and employers.
 
We are proud to announce the launch of the Choose Aerospace SkillPointe Scholarship, a new initiative designed to address the nationwide shortage of skilled aviation maintenance professionals.
 
This program is being launched in partnership with the Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC), which will connect scholarship opportunities directly to students enrolled in FAA part 147 aviation maintenance programs across the country. The scholarship will also be promoted to high school students currently taking Choose Aerospace coursework, ensuring early exposure to aviation maintenance career pathways.
 
Through a new collaboration with the SkillPointe Foundation, the program will leverage SkillPointe’s extensive national network of technical training providers and career-seeking applicants to reach a broader pool of qualified candidates. Contributors to the Fund will gain:
·     Access to applicant data for outreach and recruitment
·     Visibility among aviation students and training programs
·     Opportunities to promote career and education pathways to a highly motivated audience
 
This initiative goes beyond funding—it strengthens the aviation workforce pipeline by connecting students with employers and technical training that leads to FAA mechanic certification.
 
Now is your opportunity to become a Founding Contributor to the Choose Aerospace SkillPointe Scholarship Fund. Founding Contributors will be recognized as early champions of this transformative initiative and play a key role in shaping the program’s long-term success.
 
Download the program flyer to see additional benefits based on contribution level, including scholarship naming opportunities and strategic visibility, or email us to schedule a call and explore partnership opportunities.

About Choose Aerospace
Choose Aerospace is a 501(c)(3) coalition of aerospace stakeholders dedicated to growing and diversifying the aviation technical workforce. The organization develops and distributes affordable, hybrid aviation maintenance curriculum and connects students, schools, and employers to career opportunities. Its mission is to enroll 10,000 students in aviation maintenance training by 2027 through partnerships with schools, municipalities, and industry leaders.
 About SkillPointe Foundation
The SkillPointe Foundation provides vocational scholarships that help individuals gain the skills needed for rewarding careers in high-demand trades. By leveraging its nationwide network of education partners, employers, and applicants, the foundation accelerates access to training programs that lead directly to sustainable employment in fields like aviation maintenance, construction, energy, and healthcare.
 About the Aviation Technician Education Council
ATEC represents FAA-certificated Part 147 schools and supports their mission to prepare the next generation of aviation maintenance professionals. ATEC advocates for effective policies, provides leadership development, and promotes partnerships that align training programs with industry workforce needs across the nation.

Choose Aerospace is pleased to announce a new Group Discount Pricing structure for educational access to the Choose Aerospace Maintenance Curriculum—designed to make aviation maintenance education even more affordable and scalable for schools as their programs grow.

Affordability has always been a top priority for Choose Aerospace. This new structure reinforces that commitment by providing schools with the opportunity to save more as they grow, ensuring that cost remains an enabler—not a barrier—to expanding high-quality aviation maintenance education.

The Group Discount Pricing structure makes it easier for schools to plan for growth and manage costs with predictable annual rates. As the number of active users increases, schools automatically qualify for more favorable pricing:

The 2025-26 school year has seen tremendous growth in Choose Aerospace programs available to high school students across the country. These students are not only being exposed to an advanced, highly rewarding segment of the aerospace industry, but they are also taking meaningful steps down a clearly defined, in-demand career path.
 
Airlines, aircraft manufacturers, and aviation maintenance specialists need skilled workers. A new report from the Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC) and Oliver Wyman shows the U.S. commercial airline industry needs 10,000 more mechanics today. This shortage isn't going away. Programs like Choose Aerospace are part of the industry's plan to attract more employees with the required training.
 
Aviation maintenance is a rewarding career. Besides the built-in "cool factor" of working on and around aircraft, most mechanics can expect attractive wages and benefits. Data compiled for the ATEC report found the average starting hourly rate for licensed aircraft mechanics in 2024 was nearly $30 per hour. Pay rates rise quickly with experience, especially for airline mechanics covered by labor union contracts.
 
The key to getting a job as a certified mechanic is obtaining an FAA license. Choose Aerospace provides a pathway for prospective technicians to take general coursework required of all FAA-certified mechanics. Under a plan being developed by industry and the FAA, high school students that complete the coursework and pass an exam will get credit towards a full certification.
 
They would then continue their education at an accredited college or university, or in an employer-sponsored apprenticeship. Either path would lead them to earning an FAA airframe & powerplant license and make them eligible for full-time work as an aircraft mechanic.
 
Choose Aerospace's mission is to help develop and promote strong aviation technical workforce pipelines. This benefits the aviation maintenance industry and, more importantly, provides opportunities for young people seeking a challenging, rewarding career.

The 2025–26 school year is off and running, and we’re already seeing incredible growth across our Choose Aerospace programs! As of this week: 

• 762 students enrolled 
• 19 states represented 
• 44 active programs 
• 55 total applications received 
• 13 brand-new programs joining this year! ​

That’s a 25% increase in student enrollment compared to this time last year — and we’re still seeing programs adding students and completing onboarding. 

​Every one of these numbers represents a student with new access to hands-on, career-connected learning. We’re grateful for the teachers and schools working hard to open these doors — and we’re excited to see even more programs come online in the weeks ahead. 

​We’ll share another update in the next newsletter as this momentum continues to build! 

There’s a lot to do as the new school year approaches. Here’s our guide to getting your LMS ready to go: 

1. Complete Your Program Application and Annual License Agreement: If you haven’t submitted these yet, please do so as soon as possible. These are required for program participation and access to the LMS. 
2. Register for the SkilRedi Orientation Webinar: Attend the webinar on August 12 at 10 a.m. Central for a live tour and Q&A. Register here. 
3. Explore SkilRedi: Take time to navigate the new LMS, review the updated user experience, and explore the instructor tools tab. The login is the same: www.apps.courses.chooseaerospace.org 
4. Build Your Team: Use your ADMIN role to add other instructors or course observers as STAFF members. If they had an Educate Workforce account, they do not need to create a new account in SkilRedi. With SkilRedi, you no longer have to place them in your courses prior to granting STAFF roles. 
5. Enroll Students in Courses: Verify that all students are added to the appropriate SkilRedi courses. Existing Educate Workforce accounts have migrated to SkilRedi, so only your new students need to create SkilRedi accounts. As long as they create their account with their school email addresses, you can enroll them in class prior to student account creation. 
6. Prepare for Student Enrollment Count: On September 30, we will record the number of enrolled students. Any students that you enrolled in current courses but have left the course need to be removed, so we do not count them for billing purposes. Our count will be sent out on October 1, and teachers will need to validate the numbers we provide. Specific instructions will be shared at that time. 

Need help? For LMS-related support, email [email protected]. For other questions, contact kelly@chooseaerospace.org. We’re here to help you get started on the right foot! ​

This school year brings an exciting change: Choose Aerospace has officially transitioned from Educate Workforce to SkilRedi as our Learning Management System (LMS). While much of the interface will feel familiar to returning users, SkilRedi introduces several enhancements designed to make your experience smoother and more efficient. 

Why SkilRedi? 
SkilRedi is a modern, cloud-based LMS built to streamline course delivery for both instructors and students. It features: 

• Improved Navigation: A cleaner, more intuitive layout that makes it easier to find the tools and resources you need. 

• Enhanced Performance: Faster loading and smoother functionality to keep your work flowing. 

• Streamlined Grading Tools: Upgraded features for managing and grading written assessments, making evaluation tasks quicker and simpler. 

These improvements will make day-to-day classroom management more efficient while maintaining the high-quality learning experience you’ve come to expect from Choose Aerospace. 

Join us for the upcoming SkilRedi Orientation Webinar on Tuesday, August 12 at 10 a.m. Central Time. Choose Aerospace and SkilRedi will hold this training session to introduce users to the new LMS. For those who attended the June training in Tulsa, this webinar will follow the same format — but this time you’ll see the live LMS in action. 

Many users will have access prior to the webinar, so please take some time to explore the platform and bring your questions to the experts. We will also discuss how to find support and training resources and how to create a support ticket, if needed. Our goal is to help you feel comfortable in the new LMS environment and to create a recorded video with great FAQs for future reference. Join us by registering for the webinar here.