Scholarships For Maintenance Careers

The Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance said this week it has several scholarships available for anyone interested in careers in aircraft maintenance. The opportunities include free tuition for a Learjet 45 maintenance course, sponsored by Bombardier; a scholarship for attaining inspection authorization from the Baker School of Aeronautics, including hotel and exam fees; and a $500 scholarship from DME Services of North Florida to pay for the final oral and practical exam for the A&P certificate. AWAM's Louisville chapter is also offering an all-expense-paid scholarship to the Women in Aviation Conference in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., in March.

Applicants for the scholarships must be members of AWAM, which is a nonprofit organization. Membership is not restricted by gender. Many of the scholarships are open to all applicants, but some are for women only. The deadline to apply is Jan. 29. Women in Aviation also awards dozens of scholarships every year. "There is an award for nearly everyone," says WAI, "from the college student to the woman or man returning to the workforce, from managers and dispatchers to pilots, engineers, technicians and mechanics." This year's scholarship application period closed in November, and the awards will be announced at the March conference.