The new partnership for aircraft maintenance technicians will help meet the need for more positions in the field, which is expected to have more than 1,000 annual openings.
Why it matters
Texas Workforce Commission data projects 1,500 positions will open in the field each year through 2032 because of turnover, growth and retirements. Under an agreement with American Airlines, students who meet certain academic and certification requirements could become employed by the airline.
American will also provide virtual learning opportunities and site visits with the airline’s maintenance operations.
“Our industry is facing a growing need for highly skilled maintenance professionals, and partnerships like this are essential to meeting that demand,” said Jess Barrier, managing director of Maintenance Operations Control and Training at American, in a news release.
Fort Worth Alliance Airport is the home to the aircraft maintenance technician program, which employs 3 Federal Aviation Administration-certified technicians and $3 million in training equipment.
Additionally, the airport is expected to host Tarrant County College’s air traffic controller program when it begins. College officials are currently raising funds, with a goal of $1 million, for the program, which could begin as early as spring 2027.
Some background
With more than 1,000 maintenance positions at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Tarrant County College graduates could fill needed positions for American Airlines.
“Our students are preparing for careers in one of the nation’s most critical industries,” Tarrant County College Northwest President Zarina Blankenbaker said in a June 30 news release. “This partnership provides direct access to professional expectations and meaningful career opportunities with a world-renowned aviation leader.”
Barrier said the partnership will allow Tarrant County College students to make local connections to the existing workforce.
Breaking it down
Tarrant County College has two programs that are 60 hours: aviation maintenance technology airframe and aviation maintenance technology powerplant. In-county tuition is $4,440 per degree, and the program takes about 18-24 months to complete.
Based on workforce data, the median salary for an aircraft maintenance technician is $80,000 annually.
Zooming in
For both programs, Tarrant County College officials touted the connection to the local aviation industry in North Texas.
Specific to the air traffic controller program, the college identified a need for a system that covers 45,000 daily flights across the United States. With a local program, Tarrant County College Chancellor Elva LeBlanc said there is a possibility that students can train and get hired locally.
“This is exactly the kind of high-demand program that defines what TCC is built to do,” LeBlanc said in a news release. “We are located in the aviation capital of Texas, surrounded by some of the most significant aviation employers in the world.”
Additionally, the air traffic controller program is expected to provide students with FAA Academy-equivalent training.
While tuition data for the program is not available, the average salary for an air traffic controller in North Texas is $123,715.
Looking ahead
Ahead of the air traffic controller program’s launch, Tarrant County College officials are working to develop a curriculum for the program, which will be the first of its kind at a Texas community college.
Ahead of its launch, Tarrant County College officials are waiting on approvals for the program’s coursework.
