A new program in western Mass. is aiming to inspire the next generation of employees in the aviation industry.
The Western Mass Boy Scouts of America is clearing a new program for takeoff to attract a younger audience to the different career paths in the aviation industry.
Jared Mancini is a mechanic at Aero Design Aircraft. He told Western Mass News that there are a lot more jobs in the industry than sitting in the cockpit.
“You can do everything from sheet metal work to electrical work to tearing apart an engine and working on that,” Mancini said. “You’ve got to learn a little bit of everything.”
Assistant Scout Executive Art Lobdell said that the airline industry expects a shortage of pilots and mechanics amongst other jobs.
He told Western Mass News that the year-long program will bring in airline industry experts to assist with their meetings.
“We have speakers lined up right now that are going to come in and talk about the science of aviation, the mechanics, piloting, customer service end, fuel, all that sort of thing, so absolutely everything,” Lobdell explained. “Manufacture and design, from planes to helicopters, to balloons to drones. It’s very comprehensive.”
Adults are encouraged to join to potentially explore picking up a career in aviation.
Mancini told Western Mass News what you can expect if you want to break into a career in aviation mechanics.
“It took about 2 years in school, 3 with COVID,” he said. “It takes about 2 years for schooling, then I’ve been working in the shop up at Aero Design for about a year and a half.”
Lobdell added that he hopes more people will come down to learn what the program has to offer.
“We certainly invite anyone in western Massachusetts to come and join our program,” he told us. “Come on down and explore aviation.”
The explore aviation program meets twice a month.