This ‘hidden’ career path is in dire need of more workers—and it can pay Gen Z over $300,000 with no degree required

The airport has become a symbol of the growing strain on America’s aviation system—from a shortage of air traffic controllers and lengthy TSA lines during government shutdowns to a string of crashes and near misses raising fresh concerns about safety.

But there’s another critical group keeping planes moving on time—and they’re facing a dire shortage: aviation maintenance technicians.

Some 83% of technicians are expected to retire or leave the profession globally over the next decade, according to the 2025 CAE Aviation Talent Forecast. By 2034, that translates to a need of about 416,000 new aircraft maintenance technicians worldwide.

Jason Pfaff, CEO of the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, told Fortune the occupation has largely suffered from a lack of awareness and has become largely “hidden.”

“There’s a very acute shortage in our country today of aviation mechanics,” Pfaff told Fortune. “We have on average about half the number of trained certified mechanics that we need.”

To meet the demand, many aviation technician programs, including AIM, offer 21-month training programs—all at a fraction of the cost of a four-year degree. If students then pass the FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) exams, they become “one of the most........

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