Choose Aerospace has successfully utilized multiple funding sources to waive licensing fees for schools implementing its aviation maintenance curriculum during the current academic year. This initiative has removed financial barriers for high schools and expanded access to technical education.

The funding offset costs for 769 students across 40 schools in 14 states, totaling nearly $160,000. Support came from several key sources: an FAA workforce grant, a Rockford-based grant to AAR Corp that covered programs in Illinois, and an Oklahoma CareerTech contract that ensured funding for schools in the state. (See related story: funding-available-to-grow-high-school-aviation-technical-training-programs.html.)

"Industry is the ultimate beneficiary of these high school workforce programs, so it’s only fitting that our partners help remove cost as a barrier to program adoption," said Crystal Maguire, Choose Aerospace Executive Director. "While we’re thrilled to offer the curriculum free of charge this year, our ultimate goal is to make this opportunity accessible to all schools, every year."

Financial backing is critical to achieving Choose Aerospace’s mission of cultivating a diverse and well-qualified aviation maintenance workforce. To learn how your organization can contribute to providing free access to aviation technical training, visit www.chooseaerospace.org/support.

As a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to and adoption of aviation maintenance programs, Choose Aerospace recognizes that this mission cannot be accomplished alone. Our success is built on the collective efforts of numerous partners who share our vision and provide invaluable support to educators, students, and employers.

Oklahoma CareerTech and the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics (ODAA) have proven to be two of our strongest allies. The state-based organizations provide leadership, funding and outreach opportunities and have positioned Oklahoma as a standout state, where over half of the Choose Aerospace high school programs reside.

Removing Barriers to Program Adoption

Oklahoma Career Tech contracts with Choose Aerospace to cover the licensing costs for any affiliated school that want to utilize the curriculum. CareerTech and ODAA staff educate schools on aviation program resources available and host annual events for administrators and teachers, providing guidance on curriculum adoption, program requirements, and career pathways in aviation maintenance.

Both organizations offer grant funding to enhance aviation education. For instance, the Oklahoma CareerTech Technology Grant provides resources for classroom equipment and materials, while the ODAA AERO Education Grant Program funds initiatives that inspire young people to pursue aerospace careers.  

Innovative Work-Based Learning Solutions

One of Oklahoma’s most innovative contributions is its paid internship model for high school students. Through a partnership with Express Employment Professionals, students gain real-world experience while employers overcome common barriers such as liability, workers’ compensation insurance, and administrative concerns.

In this model, Express Employment Professionals serves as the employer of record, covering workers’ compensation and liability insurance for students under the age of 18. This approach proved successful last summer when AAR Corp hired 10 high school Choose Aerospace student interns. Some of these students continued their employment during the school year and after graduation. AAR Corp plans to expand the program this coming summer, demonstrating the model’s scalability and effectiveness.

A Growing Impact

Oklahoma’s state-led partnerships have fueled remarkable growth, with the number of high school aviation maintenance programs in the state doubling annually over the past three years. These efforts not only strengthen Oklahoma’s aviation workforce pipeline but also serve as a model for other states seeking to replicate similar success.

Want to Learn More?

Discover how Oklahoma’s partnerships are shaping the future of aviation maintenance education. Book a discovery meeting with Director of Operations Kelly Filgo to explore opportunities and learn from this successful framework.

Choose Aerospace is currently accepting applications for its annual scholarship program. Awards for students, educators, and schools are available. They will provide educators and future aviators with scholarships, textbooks, training systems, tools, and testing fee credits.

The non-profit organization is in its sixth award season. This year's donors include Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM), ARCS Aviation, Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA), Aviation Supplies & Academics (ASA), Aviation Workforce Solutions, Nida Corporation, AVOTEK, Aircraft Technical Book Company, CertTEC, Snap-on, Sonic Tools, Northrop Rice Foundation, and ASTM International.
​
​Eligible applicants must be planning to attend, be enrolled at, or teach in an aviation technical program. Only ATEC members, their instructors, and enrolled students are eligible to apply. The deadline to apply is February 1.

We love building community with our partners because organizations are relational at heart. A key part of creating a healthy organization is understanding the data we generate together. Choose Aerospace exists to create a diverse, skilled workforce that changes lives for generations. By analyzing our (anonymized!) data, we see how we’re doing. ​

Our goal is to serve 10,000 learners by the end of the 27-28 program year. So far, we've reached 1,447 unique learners, with a target of 1,686 by the end of this program year. We’re 86% of the way to this goal, and we expect to reach it as new programs and adult education partners add students throughout the year. Great job, friends! 

Course completions are another measure of growth we follow. CA learners completed more courses in the first six weeks of the 24-25 program year than the total completed in our first two years combined. With an ambitious goal of 3,100 completions this year, we have work to do, but we’re confident we’ll get there. 

The best data story this year is about bringing new communities into the aviation workforce. Women and people of color are highly underrepresented in aviation maintenance. We’re proud to see our learners changing that. In a field where only 4.3% of workers are women, over 18% of our students identified as female. Additionally, 45% of CA students are from groups that make up just 16.6% of aviation maintenance workers. While we'd love these numbers to reflect the general population, we celebrate that they are significantly higher than in the current workforce (BLS, 2023). 

Teachers, your dedication is the key to changing students’ lives and empowering them to create a brighter future. Thank you for being a vital part of our story—we can’t do it without you! 

AAR CORP., Choose Aerospace, and the Aviation Technician Education Counsel (ATEC) have initiated a collaborative effort to donate surplus materials for educational purposes. The donated inventory includes fasteners, fittings, hardware, sheet metal stock, electrical connectors, and wiring – all aimed at directly providing industry-specific items to benefit schools’ education programs.

ATEC member schools can access the donation request form and inventory list here. Donations pass through Choose Aerospace, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, and are shipped directly to approved institutions. Schools are asked to cover shipping costs or arrange for pickup at one of AAR’s locations. All school district and non-profit based Choose Aerospace programs are members of ATEC. If you have not done so yet, you can create your ATEC account here: https://www.atec-amt.org/create-account

"Transforming aged inventory into educational resources for future technicians has been a long-standing goal of ours. AAR is proud to be a pioneering partner in this initiative, and we anticipate many more will join us in supporting this vital cause,” said Ryan Goertzen, Vice President of Workforce Development at AAR and President of Choose Aerospace.​

Companies interested in donating surplus material to educational institutions are encouraged to contact ATEC Operations Manager Tarra Ruttman at [email protected].

Oklahoma CareerTech, a Choose Aerospace partner funding curriculum adoption across the state, recently announced that several Choose Aerospace program graduates from Putnam City High School are moving into the workforce. These graduates have been employed by local companies, JetSet, Aerovets Aviation, and AAR Corp, while some are also pursuing mechanic certification at the local A&P school, Metro Tech.
 
Putnam City High School also expanded its work-based learning program with AAR Corp as part of the company’s FAA workforce grant initiative. The MRO is providing ten Choose Aerospace students with internships this summer. Read more here.