Opinion: Collaborating To Build The Aerospace Workforce Pipeline

If you had $500 million, how would you solve [fill in the problem]? This was a question posed to panelists at a recent conference of aviation industry professionals. Not surprisingly, the answers varied depending on the issue.

When it comes to building the workforce pipeline, $500 million would disappear quickly if it were simply directed to the industries that already have identified shortages. But what about the industries that are emerging, such as air taxis and vertiports, and all the brainpower we need to achieve net-zero in carbon emissions by 2050? Maybe there is a way to solve this issue without needing to hit the lottery.

The good news is that we are an industry that has untapped potential from underrepresented groups, including women and those from underresourced communities. The tough news is many folks have no idea what it means to work in aviation and aerospace, let alone the emerging fields within these industries, and we must work to create awareness, interest and demand. At the same time, higher education and technical institutions need to align their teaching with emerging skill sets. Once we have achieved that, we must make sure we are creating a sense of belonging for individuals who bring a host of skills and talents.

Advanced air mobility, sustainable aviation fuel, uncrewed aerial vehicles and more are on the cusp of revolutionizing transportation, promising to transform how we move people and goods. To align with higher education for a skilled workforce, foster innovation and address regulatory and societal challenges, institutions like Vaughn College are developing specialized programs and curricula—not all of which require a four-year degree.

Certificate programs, such as the one Vaughn has in programmable logic control (a skill used in making robots or automation work), provide students a way to jump right into a career or apply their learning toward an engineering degree later in their professional career. Airports are an environment in which programmable logic control is used (think baggage systems), and technicians and engineering expertise make those systems hum. The same approach can be used with other technical fields, such as air traffic management, cybersecurity and regulatory compliance. Providing jobs that have differing entry points has the added benefit of supporting efforts to diversify the workforce by lowering barriers.

This idea can also work in reverse as technology advances and the needs of industry change. Maybe you already have an engineer who needs specialized skills that were not part of the initial degree program—partnering with an institution can help that employee gain new skills and bestow the next wave of graduates with those skills as well. Interdisciplinary programs that combine technical skills with an understanding of business, law and regulation can also provide a holistic understanding and help solve complex challenges.

Higher education institutions can help teach the public about the innovation and sustainability efforts happening across aviation and aerospace, too. When Joby Aviation parked its 56-ft.-long simulator trailer on our campus in New York City for almost two weeks this year, we welcomed a variety of government leaders, youth-serving organizations and industry partners to learn more about advanced air mobility and what it could mean for everyone’s quality of life.

Maybe you don’t have a simulator on wheels, but aviation is a thrilling, high-touch opportunity, and everyone can get excited about a virtual reality headset that allows you to climb inside the flight deck or repair a part of an engine, tour the airside of an airport or visit a manufacturing floor. By fostering an informed and engaged public, higher education and industry can build trust and understanding.

Higher education can collaborate with industry partners to create inclusive work environments as well. Partnering with minority-serving institutions such as tribal colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions (like Vaughn) and historically Black colleges, higher education institutions can ensure that the industry benefits from a wide range of perspectives and talents.

The ongoing advancements in aviation and aerospace continue to hold immense potential to transform transportation and improve quality of life—as this industry has done since its founding. Working together, we can bridge the skills gap, foster innovation, promote inclusion and build partnerships that contribute to the expansion and success of our sector. Collaboration is the key to growth for us all.

Sharon B. DeVivo is president of Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in Flushing, New York.