As a means to fill the pipeline of future aircraft maintenance technicians (AMT), the FAA has announced the Aviation Maintenance Technical Workforce Development Grant Program. In Fiscal Year 2020, Congress appropriated $5 million to fund projects intended to stem the shortage of AMTs.
Eligible projects include new educational programs that teach technical skills in aviation maintenance; scholarships or apprenticeships in aviation maintenance; AMT career outreach programs about AMT careers that target primary, secondary, and post-secondary students; and support for military personnel moving to civilian AMT jobs.
The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 set aside the funding and made grants available annually through 2023. Grants from $25,000 to $500,000 are available through the program for eligible groups, which would include academic institutions, Part 145 repair stations, labor unions, and state and local governments.