The FAA recently approved a new airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic program at the Universal Technical Institute (UTI) Miramar, Florida campus. Classes are underway now for the 18-month course of study.
UTI said the new program will teach students to diagnose, repair, and maintain aircraft, powerplants, and their components. This is the educational institute's fifth A&P program, and it joins UTI facilities with A&P programs in Avondale, Arizona; Long Beach, California; Canton, Michigan; and Houston.
“We continue to optimize our existing campus footprint to offer more workforce solutions in regions where they are most in demand," said Universal Technical Institute president Tracy Lorenz. "The new aviation program at the Miramar campus is an excellent example of how we work with local leaders to help support a well-trained workforce and further their economic goals."
Lorenz added that the A&P course is one of 14 new programs offered by the institute, with the goal of providing education in skilled trades and energy fields.
Total aviation technician employment is expected to exceed 146,000 by 2032, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Demand for aviation technicians is being driven, in part, by a rebound in post-pandemic air travel, as well as a wave of retirements among industry workers," according to UTI.