The Ongoing Challenge: Finding Skilled Staff in Aviation MRO

Hello, my friends, and welcome to Educated Marketing Decisions, your monthly dose of practical marketing strategies tailored to the aviation industry!

Last year, I conducted a poll asking, "What's the biggest issue you face in Aviation MRO today?" The overwhelming response—60%—was "Finding skilled staff." A year later, this challenge remains a top concern in the industry, and if anything, it has intensified. Without further ado, let’s jump into it.

The aviation MRO sector continues to grapple with workforce shortages, driven by an aging workforce, increasing retirements, high training costs, and fierce competition for talent. To offer valuable insights, I reached out to HR experts and industry leaders to explore the latest strategies and solutions for attracting and retaining skilled staff.

Three Key Factors in Attracting Talent

According to Chuck Harrison, Sr. Vice President of Sales & Recruiting at STS, companies should focus on three critical areas when looking to attract skilled workers:

Competitive Compensation – Offering a strong pay package, including benefits and retention bonuses, is crucial. Employees today, especially millennials and Gen Z, are not as likely to stay with one company for decades. Providing financial incentives can make a big difference in retention.

Desirable Locations – Location matters, but so does affordability. While offering positions in major aviation hubs like Miami can be appealing, companies must consider the cost of living and whether salaries truly support relocation.

Company Reputation & Culture – Compensation alone isn’t enough. Employees want to feel valued, respected, and part of a thriving workplace culture. Recognition, career growth, and strong leadership all play a crucial role in employee satisfaction.

Solutions for the Technician Shortage

At a recent industry event, aviation leaders discussed innovative ways to address the ongoing shortage. Here are some key takeaways:

Engaging Young Talent Early – Investing in training programs, apprenticeships, and partnerships with aviation schools can help bring fresh talent into the pipeline. But as Elizabeth Amador, Director of Human Resources at FEAM, points out, offering incentives to new hires can create friction with senior staff who didn’t receive similar perks when they started.

Exploring International Talent Pools – Recruiting technicians from overseas can be a viable option, though it comes with bureaucratic and financial challenges. Various visa programs, such as H-1B and F-1, are being explored by some MROs to supplement their workforce.

Leveraging Staffing Agencies – While outsourcing recruitment to staffing agencies can help, it doesn’t solve the root problem—there simply aren’t enough technicians available. Companies need to differentiate themselves to stand out in a competitive hiring market.

The 80/20 Strategy – Vicky Sokolowski, Director of Field Human Resources at AAR, advises against filling hangars entirely with new technicians. She recommends an 80/20 balance—80% experienced staff mentoring 20% new recruits to ensure operational efficiency and skill transfer.

Retention: The Overlooked Solution

Recruiting new talent is essential, but retaining experienced employees is just as critical. Competitive salaries, growth opportunities, and a positive work culture help prevent turnover. Are MROs doing enough to keep their top talent engaged? If there’s interest, I can dive deeper into retention strategies in a follow-up article.

Join the Conversation

What strategies have worked for your company in attracting and retaining skilled technicians? Are there other solutions that should be explored? Let’s discuss in the comments!

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Rebekah Knaster
Founder of Becks and the Jets LLC