During the awards luncheon at the ATEC Annual Conference in Chicago, IL, thirty-two students, one instructor, and five schools were recognized as this year's recipients for the Choose Aerospace Scholarship Program. Over $45,000 in licensing fees, training systems, cash awards, books, testing fees and more were awarded. A big thank you to all the donors for making it possible, and congratulations to the recipients.

Choose Aerospace will provide over $40,000 worth of scholarships, textbooks, training systems, tools, and testing fee credits to educators and future aviators.

The non-profit organization, managed by the Aviation Technician Education Council, is in its fourth award season. This year's donors include Aeronautical Repair Station Association, Aviation Supplies & Academics (ASA), Nida Corporation, AVOTEK, Aircraft Technical Book Company, CertTEC, Sonic Tools, and Northrop Rice Foundation. Newcomers this year are ARCS Aviation and Aviation Workforce Solutions, each providing cash awards.

Choose Aerospace has shifted gears with their award and for the first time will be awarding $2,000 to two high schools that are interested in implementing the Choose Aerospace Curriculum. The scholarship will cover licensing fees for 10 students for one year.

Eligible applicants must be planning to attend, enrolled at or teach in an aviation technical program. ATEC membership is not required but is a consideration for the review committee when selecting award recipients.
The deadline to apply is February 15, 2023.

If you or someone you know would like to serve on the review committee, please email tarra.ruttman@chooseaerospace.org. 

As part of its ongoing effort to further aviation technical education, Choose Aerospace Executive Director Crystal Maguire joined Helicopter Association International (HAI), Southern Utah University, and other Utah-based educators, operators, and government stakeholders for an Aviation Workforce Development Roundtable in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

The event, organized by US Representative Burgess Owens (R-UT-4), discussed ways to build on the success of HAI's Utah Rotor Pathway Program, an initiative created to address the shortage of helicopter pilots and maintenance professionals. The purpose of the roundtable, hosted by the Office of Aeronautics Division of the Utah Department of Transportation, was to identify federal resources available to support aviation workforce efforts.

HAI's Rotor Pathway Program brings together industry, universities, and high schools to provide helicopter pilot and maintenance training at the high school level. Choose Aerospace was happy to join the conversation to share curriculum resources available to high school programs that wan to create aviation maintenance pathways for their students. As of today, 17 schools and 580 students are utilizing the Choose Aerospace aviation maintenance curriculum, putting individuals on a direct path to careers in aviation maintenance.

Choose Aerospace was on of 56 recipients across Oklahoma to receive funding from the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission (OAC), intended to help guide young minds toward aerospace and aviation careers. The funding will cover licensing fees for select Oklahoma schools adopting the Choose Aerospace curriculum.

The OAC has become a driving force behind the state’s investment in aerospace educational programs, vectoring students toward becoming aviators, engineers, mechanics, astronauts, and scientists. Fifty-six organizations were awarded Aerospace and Aviation Education Program grants totaling $451,157. Grants are for targeted learning programs that have a direct application to aerospace and aviation for primary through post-secondary education. The grant funds are part of the agency’s initiative to give more Oklahoma young people access to STEM careers in the aerospace and aviation industry.                                                               

The agency’s Aerospace and Aviation Education Grant Program has been awarding aerospace and aviation education grants for over 30 years. Programs that are supported range from a dedicated 4-year high school curriculum such as the AOPA “You Can Fly” effort, to week-long summer camps offered by our major Universities, a build and fly drone racing competition, Tinker AFB Air and Space Show, a 2-year high school curriculum dedicated to teaching aircraft mechanics, activities and tours at various airports across the system, engineering fairs and many others. These programs along with Commission staff will help foster students’ interest in the industry and encourages them to consider aerospace or aviation as a career.

​Based on projections, the programs that have been awarded funding will reach nearly 50,000 students across the state. The initiative supports the Oklahoma Works project that aims to address the skills gap and connect students to programs that will help build the workforce of Oklahoma’s second-largest industry.

​ATEC's foundational arm, Choose Aerospace, is piloting testing aviation maintenance curriculum for deployment in a high school setting. The computer-based content covers the general subject areas in emerging mechanic airman certification standards and provides a unique opportunity for part 147 schools looking to increase program awareness in their communities. The webinar, directed at a part 147 audience, will provide an overview of the curriculum, suggestions on how a part 147 program can structure matriculation agreements with high school partners, and a summary of what is required to adopt and implement the content.

For more information, visit https://www.chooseaerospace.org/curriculum.html.