The Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) has been notified by the FAA that its avionics technician apprenticeship program satisfies regulatory compliance for the issuance of a repairman certificate. This announcement was made by FAA Aircraft Maintenance Division manager Jackie Black during the regulatory session yesterday at AEA’s 64th annual convention and trade show in Dallas.
AEA’s program, which provides member repair stations with a framework to train avionics technician apprentices, already received approval from the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Office of Apprenticeship in 2019. Representatives of AEA-member repair stations and manufacturers partnered with AEA and the Urban Institute to create the program.
“AEA-member repair stations have another tool to grow their own and successfully recruit, train and retain qualified technicians,” said AEA president and CEO Mike Adamson. “It is another critical step in our industry's ongoing workforce development efforts and offers a new career pathway where individuals can simultaneously earn a competitive wage, gain knowledge with structured learning and on-the-job training, and achieve industry-recognized credentials.”