To help meet the dire needs of the state’s aviation maintenance workforce, the University of Maine’s Augusta campus has instituted the state’s first aviation maintenance technician program. Reportedly, one impetus for launching the program, which is based at the Brunswick Landing aviation campus, was when medevac operator LifeFlight of Maine told the university it had spent a year trying to recruit just one maintenance technician.
Daniel Leclair, the director of the University program, said, “There’s a feeling that without more aviation technicians, that aviation business in the State of Maine is very much stifled.” He added that he knew of one aviation business that moved to Maine because it heard about the new program and is anticipating hiring graduates.
The first 25 students will begin the five-semester certificate program next month. Upon completion, they will be able to sit for their FAA certification exams immediately. The program already has a waiting list of 35 candidates.
Leclair said, “There [are] 32 airports in the state of Maine, and there’s a need for aviation technicians throughout the whole state. People just don’t realize how much of an impact aviation has on the state’s economy.”
