Build the Aviation Workforce Pipeline — One Career at a Time
The Choose Aerospace Strategic Scholarship Program
The aviation maintenance workforce shortage is no longer a future concern — it’s a growing industry challenge happening right now. Employers across aviation are competing for skilled technicians while thousands of motivated students struggle to access the training needed to enter the field.
The Choose Aerospace Strategic Scholarship Program helps close that gap by supporting students pursuing FAA-certificated aviation maintenance education and connecting them directly to industry pathways and career opportunities.
In its first year alone, the program engaged more than 1,600 students and received 586 eligible scholarship applications from students across 44 states and more than 120 school campuses nationwide. The response made one thing clear: the demand for aviation careers is strong, but access to training remains a major barrier for many students.
Why Strategic Scholarships Matter
For many students, the biggest obstacle to an aviation maintenance career is not interest or ability — it’s affordability.
More than 56% of applicants came from households earning under $50,000 annually, and nearly 72% reported household incomes below $75,000. These students are motivated, career-focused, and workforce-ready — but many need financial support to begin or complete training.
Strategic scholarships help remove those barriers while creating earlier connections between students, schools, and employers.
For industry partners, scholarship support is more than philanthropy — it is a direct investment in workforce development and future hiring pipelines.
Supporting the program helps employers:
Built for Measurable Industry Impact
In partnership with the Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC), the Strategic Scholarship Program provides national reach across the aviation maintenance training ecosystem, including:
The scholarship applicant pool reflects a strong mix of emerging talent and career-building adults. More than half of applicants were under age 25, while 30% were between ages 25–34, demonstrating both immediate workforce potential and long-term pipeline sustainability.
The program is also helping expand access to aviation careers among historically underrepresented populations. Nearly 36% of applicants identified as Black or Hispanic/Latino, and 12% reported military connections, including veterans, spouses, and dependents.
Workforce-Ready Talent Entering the Industry
The program is producing workforce-ready aviation talent with most scholarship recipients expected to complete their training and enter the workforce within one to two years.
In fact:
Students are already progressing through FAA-certified training programs and building connections with aviation employers, regional airlines, MROs, OEMs, and maintenance providers.
Real Demand. Significant Opportunity.
The need for support continues to grow.
Despite receiving hundreds of qualified applications in year one, the program was only able to award 20 scholarships. Currently, only 1 in 29 eligible applicants receives funding support, representing more than $6.5 million in unmet student need and significant untapped workforce capacity for the aviation industry.
Every additional scholarship represents another opportunity to move a motivated student into a high-demand aviation maintenance career.
Powered by Industry Partnership
The Choose Aerospace Strategic Scholarship Program is made possible through industry investment. Contributions directly support student scholarships, outreach initiatives, program operations, and workforce pipeline development efforts that connect students to careers in aviation maintenance.
Together, industry partners, schools, and workforce leaders can help ensure the aviation industry has the skilled technicians needed for the future.
Partner With Us
Join the organizations supporting the Choose Aerospace Strategic Scholarship Program and help shape the next generation of aviation maintenance professionals.
To learn more about partnership opportunities, scholarship sponsorships, or workforce engagement initiatives, contact our team today.
The aviation maintenance workforce shortage is no longer a future concern — it’s a growing industry challenge happening right now. Employers across aviation are competing for skilled technicians while thousands of motivated students struggle to access the training needed to enter the field.
The Choose Aerospace Strategic Scholarship Program helps close that gap by supporting students pursuing FAA-certificated aviation maintenance education and connecting them directly to industry pathways and career opportunities.
In its first year alone, the program engaged more than 1,600 students and received 586 eligible scholarship applications from students across 44 states and more than 120 school campuses nationwide. The response made one thing clear: the demand for aviation careers is strong, but access to training remains a major barrier for many students.
Why Strategic Scholarships Matter
For many students, the biggest obstacle to an aviation maintenance career is not interest or ability — it’s affordability.
More than 56% of applicants came from households earning under $50,000 annually, and nearly 72% reported household incomes below $75,000. These students are motivated, career-focused, and workforce-ready — but many need financial support to begin or complete training.
Strategic scholarships help remove those barriers while creating earlier connections between students, schools, and employers.
For industry partners, scholarship support is more than philanthropy — it is a direct investment in workforce development and future hiring pipelines.
Supporting the program helps employers:
- Build relationships with future technicians earlier in their training journey
- Increase visibility with students actively pursuing aviation careers
- Strengthen recruitment pipelines for high-demand technical positions
- Support workforce diversity and long-term industry sustainability
- Demonstrate meaningful investment in the future of aviation maintenance
Built for Measurable Industry Impact
In partnership with the Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC), the Strategic Scholarship Program provides national reach across the aviation maintenance training ecosystem, including:
- 215+ FAA-certificated A&P schools
- 50+ Choose Aerospace programs, including high school pathways
- 24,000+ aviation maintenance students nationwide
The scholarship applicant pool reflects a strong mix of emerging talent and career-building adults. More than half of applicants were under age 25, while 30% were between ages 25–34, demonstrating both immediate workforce potential and long-term pipeline sustainability.
The program is also helping expand access to aviation careers among historically underrepresented populations. Nearly 36% of applicants identified as Black or Hispanic/Latino, and 12% reported military connections, including veterans, spouses, and dependents.
Workforce-Ready Talent Entering the Industry
The program is producing workforce-ready aviation talent with most scholarship recipients expected to complete their training and enter the workforce within one to two years.
In fact:
- Nearly 70% of scholarship recipients are projected to graduate in 2027
- 75% of recipients are under age 25, reinforcing strong early-career workforce development
- Scholarship recipients maintain an average GPA of 3.6, reflecting high levels of commitment and academic performance
Students are already progressing through FAA-certified training programs and building connections with aviation employers, regional airlines, MROs, OEMs, and maintenance providers.
Real Demand. Significant Opportunity.
The need for support continues to grow.
Despite receiving hundreds of qualified applications in year one, the program was only able to award 20 scholarships. Currently, only 1 in 29 eligible applicants receives funding support, representing more than $6.5 million in unmet student need and significant untapped workforce capacity for the aviation industry.
Every additional scholarship represents another opportunity to move a motivated student into a high-demand aviation maintenance career.
Powered by Industry Partnership
The Choose Aerospace Strategic Scholarship Program is made possible through industry investment. Contributions directly support student scholarships, outreach initiatives, program operations, and workforce pipeline development efforts that connect students to careers in aviation maintenance.
Together, industry partners, schools, and workforce leaders can help ensure the aviation industry has the skilled technicians needed for the future.
Partner With Us
Join the organizations supporting the Choose Aerospace Strategic Scholarship Program and help shape the next generation of aviation maintenance professionals.
To learn more about partnership opportunities, scholarship sponsorships, or workforce engagement initiatives, contact our team today.