Choose Aerospace partners with employers and FAA-certificated Part 147 aviation maintenance technician schools nationwide to create meaningful next steps for students completing the curriculum.
These partner pathways recognize the value of Choose Aerospace coursework and provide opportunities for students to continue their training with momentum—not repetition.

What These Pathways Offer

Choose Aerospace completers may be eligible for:

• Transfer credit and advanced standing
• Tuition savings and scholarship opportunities
• Accelerated entry into A&P programs
• Direct pathways into advanced coursework and employment

Across institutions including Southern Illinois University Carbondale, US Aviation Academy, Aviation Institute of Maintenance, WSU Tech, Saint Francis University, Portland Community College, Aims Community College, and Pittsburgh Institute of Aviation, students can access flexible options designed to reduce time, cost, and barriers to entry.

Each partner offers a unique model—from credit-by-exam and competency-based assessments to dual-enrollment pipelines and scholarship support—ensuring students have multiple pathways to achieve FAA certification and begin careers in aviation maintenance.

View the full list of partner pathways and details: 
​https://www.chooseaerospace.org/partner-pathways.html

Learn More or Get Involved

Students are encouraged to explore partner options and contact institutions directly to find the best fit.
Schools, training providers, and industry partners interested in joining the Choose Aerospace network are invited to connect to learn more.

Contact Kelly Filgo, Director of Operations

Choose Aerospace has been named the Grand Laureate winner in the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) category at the Aviation Week Network 68th Annual Laureate Awards.
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The Laureate Awards recognize extraordinary achievements across the global aerospace, aviation, and defense industries. Grand Laureate winners are selected from a group of category winners and represent the highest level of recognition within each category.

Choose Aerospace was recognized for its High School Aviation Maintenance Program, which provides students with FAA-aligned curriculum and an industry-recognized credential.

The program is designed to give students a direct pathway toward FAA mechanic certification and careers in aviation maintenance. Since its launch in 2020, it has reached nearly 2,000 learners across more than 40 programs nationwide, helping to address the industry’s ongoing need for a skilled maintenance workforce.

​This recognition highlights the growing impact of early pathway programs in strengthening the aviation maintenance talent pipeline and expanding access to high-demand technical careers.

To combat the growing national shortage of aviation mechanics and create a more seamless pathway for future technicians, the Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM) today announced a new "test-out" policy. This initiative allows students who have completed the Choose Aerospace aviation maintenance curriculum to earn transfer credits toward their Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certification training at AIM campuses nationwide.

Through this newly established policy, students who successfully complete the Choose Aerospace general aviation maintenance curriculum—often offered in high schools and technical centers—will be eligible to take a series of competency-based "test-out" examinations upon enrolling at AIM. Students who pass these exams will be awarded direct transfer credit for the corresponding General courses within AIM’s Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) program.

This articulation strategy significantly reduces both the time and tuition required for aspiring mechanics to complete their education and enter the workforce.

"Our goal at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance has always been to remove barriers to entry for passionate individuals who want to build a career in aviation," said Dr. Ben Clark, VP of Business & Civic Impact of the Aviation Institute of Maintenance. "By recognizing the rigor of the Choose Aerospace curriculum and offering a clear, competency-based test-out option, we are rewarding students for their hard work in high school and accelerating their journey toward becoming fully certified A&P mechanics."
Choose Aerospace, a non-profit organization spearheaded by a coalition of aerospace stakeholders, was designed to build a diverse, robust pipeline of aviation professionals. Its FAA-aligned curriculum introduces high school students to the foundational concepts of aviation maintenance.

"Partnering with a premier institution like AIM to provide tangible college credit for our curriculum is a game-changer for our students," said Kelly Filgo, Director of Operations at Choose Aerospace. "This test-out policy validates the quality of the Choose Aerospace program and provides our graduates with a fast track to high-paying, high-demand careers in the aviation industry."

The test-out policy is fully compliant with the FAA's Part 147 regulations, ensuring that all safety, knowledge, and practical skill standards are rigorously maintained. Eligible students can begin taking advantage of the test-out exams during the enrollment process for the upcoming academic term.
For more information about the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, its programs, and the new Choose Aerospace transfer credit policy, please visit aviationmaintenance.edu.

As the academic year comes to a close, we hope your semester is ending with stories of student success and engaged learning. As we begin preparing for the 2026–27 academic year, we have a few requests that will help us share your program’s impact, support future funding opportunities, and plan for the year ahead.

Share Your Program’s Success Stories
We love highlighting student achievements when meeting with partners and supporters across the country. If you have photos, short videos, news articles, or YouTube links featuring your program or students, please share them with us so we can include them in presentations and promotional materials. Submit your story here: www.chooseaerospace.org/share-your-story.html

Provide End-of-Year Program Data
Instructors will be asked to provide student completion data through an end-of-year survey that will be distributed closer to the end of the year, so please keep an eye on your email.​

Ask Students to Complete the Post-Program Survey
Students who are finishing the program or not returning next year should complete the Post-Program Survey located on their My Courses page in SkilRedi. Their anonymous feedback helps us improve the program.

Register Students for the ATEC General Aviation Maintenance Credential
If your students will complete all 12 courses by the end of the school year, please register them for the ATEC General Aviation Maintenance Credential and set up their ASA Prepware accounts.

Learn more: https://www.atec-amt.org/atec-credential

Attend Choose Aerospace Teacher Training
Join us for the Choose Aerospace Teacher Training in Tulsa, Oklahoma, June 9–11. The training includes instruction on using SkilRedi, aviation science theory, hands-on labs, and networking with other instructors using the curriculum.

Learn more: https://www.chooseaerospace.org/teacher-training.html

Register Your Program for the 2026–27 Academic Year
Please take a few minutes to register your program for the upcoming academic year. This process takes less than ten minutes and helps us plan for the year ahead.
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Register here: https://www.chooseaerospace.org/curriculum-application.html

Prepare for Annual License Agreements
Annual license agreements will be distributed soon. Please notify your administration so they are ready to review, sign, and return them promptly.

Share Your Feedback
We always welcome feedback from instructors and program administrators. Please send comments or suggestions to: [email protected].

We appreciate how busy teachers and administrators are, and we thank you for helping us strengthen aviation maintenance education across the country.

At Flight Expo Inc. in Minnesota, aviation education doesn’t happen in theory alone. It happens on the ramp, in the hangar, and beside real aircraft. Launched in September 2025, the NextGen Aviation Program is already proving what’s possible when structured curriculum meets real-world application. Led by Terra McGillivray, CFI-I, AGI, this first-year Choose Aerospace partner is building more than an aviation class — they are building a direct bridge into the workforce. 

A Strong Foundation with a New Structure 

While this is Flight Expo’s first formal year partnering with Choose Aerospace, the organization is no stranger to youth aviation education. Through its Build A Plane program, Flight Expo has served students ages 12–18 across Northwestern Minnesota for several years. Now, with the addition of Choose Aerospace, the program has taken a significant step forward. “The partnership has allowed us to build a structured aviation maintenance pathway and connect students to real postsecondary opportunities,” McGillivray explains. 

That structure matters. The program currently serves four students from Sherburne and Milaca Counties, and it operates in partnership with St. Cloud Technical & Community College, allowing students to see a tangible next step toward college credit and advanced training. In addition, partnerships with Princeton Public Schools and the Elk River School District are helping establish aviation as a real and attainable pathway within the broader K–12 ecosystem. ​

Learning Where Aircraft Live 

Flight Expo operates alongside a flying club and an active maintenance shop — and that proximity changes everything. Students are not only studying aircraft systems. They are walking around them. Starting them. Troubleshooting them. One of the most powerful moments this year came during the Weight and Balance section of the curriculum. Half of the students entered the program passionate about flying. The other half was focused on maintenance. But as they progressed through the coursework, they began to see how deeply interconnected those disciplines truly are. 

“When we connected flight instruction concepts with maintenance principles, something clicked,” McGillivray says. “They began applying aerodynamic reasoning across both areas.” Even later in the curriculum, students continue referencing weight and balance concepts — not because they memorized them, but because they understand them. That shift — from memorization to mastery — is where real education happens. 

From Abstract to Action 

Another breakthrough came during the aircraft starting and emergency procedures sections. Because the program operates on an active ramp, students were able to immediately apply what they were learning in a supervised environment. They physically started aircraft and walked through real emergency scenarios. They made decisions in real time. 

“Watching them think critically through procedures and troubleshoot in real time transformed abstract lessons into meaningful decision making,” McGillivray explains. That kind of experiential learning builds something deeper than knowledge — it builds judgment. 

Surprising Strengths 

One of the most unexpected outcomes of the program has been the students’ natural aptitude in technical areas. Students who initially identified as “future pilots” developed a genuine respect for maintenance. Maintenance-focused students gained a stronger appreciation for flight operations. More surprising still was how naturally students embraced systems thinking and safety culture. 

“Each of them is leaving this program better prepared, more confident, and grounded in a culture of safety and excellence,” McGillivray says. “We believe they will contribute meaningfully to the aviation industry.” Academically, students have performed strongly in math- and science-heavy sections of the curriculum, requiring minimal additional support. Their assessment scores reflect not just competence, but confidence. 

Building a Sustainable Pipeline 

Community support has been essential to making the hands-on model work. Access to aircraft, tools, mentorship, and an active aviation environment allows the NextGen Aviation Program to deliver authentic training experiences. Partnerships with St. Cloud Technical & Community College help create a postsecondary runway. As the program grows, McGillivray hopes to deepen partnerships with local school districts and expand lab opportunities with additional equipment and structured classroom integration. Programs like NextGen are not simply offering enrichment. They are directly addressing the aviation workforce shortage by introducing students to maintenance pathways early and connecting them to both postsecondary and military opportunities. 

Clear Goals, Real Direction 

Perhaps the most encouraging sign of success? All four current students have clear aviation goals. 

• Two plan to pursue flight-related careers. 
• Two are planning to enter aviation maintenance roles in the military. 

Each student is leaving the program more confident, better prepared, and grounded in a culture of safety and professionalism. 

More Than a Class 

At its core, Flight Expo’s NextGen Aviation Program combines structured curriculum with real-world application. Students are not simply consuming information — they are building habits of craftsmanship, discipline, and integrity. Choose Aerospace has helped formalize what Flight Expo already believed: Aviation maintenance is not just a job. It is a professional pathway that demands precision, skill, and pride. And in Minnesota, that pathway is already taking shape. 

For more information: 

https://flightexpo.org/nextgen-aviation-mechanic 
https://www.givemn.org/organization/Flight-Expo ​