TAKING OFF: COUNCIL LOOKS TO STRENGTHEN TALENT PIPELINE IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY

Strengthening talent pipelines from high schools into technical training programs and improving the rate of community college graduates taking certification tests were identified on Monday (9/18) at the second Occupational Council for Aviation Maintenance Technicians (AMTs) as the two most promising solutions for the hiring strain airlines are facing. Airlines in the Bay Area region are facing extremely high levels of attrition due to retirement, and their needs for technical talent are increasing dramatically. Cumulatively, these employers are seeking to fill hundreds of jobs in the region before the end of 2017.  Convening Bay Area Council employer members, including United Airlines and Alaska Airlines, and educators to talk through the often longstanding hurdles preventing companies from hiring local, qualified, and diverse talent has allowed the Workforce of the Future Committee to pinpoint opportunities for improvement, such as community education events that involve high schoolers, their parents, and student career counselors in the case of AMTs. To learn more about how you can engage with the Workforce of the Future Committee on addressing the region’s pressing workforce gaps, contact Senior Vice President of Policy Linda Bidrossian.