Georgia aviation industry concerned about quality workers | savannahnow.com

ATLANTA — Georgia’s largest aerospace employers expressed concern Monday that not enough young people are entering the field to keep them on the industry’s forefront.

The comments came during a panel discussion at the convention of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, which has brought more than 2,000 engineers, pilots, executives and scientists from 41 states and 46 countries to Georgia for the week.

The issue is important to the state’s economy because planes and their parts are Georgia’s No. 1 export. There are more than 700 aviation-related companies here, including Delta Air Lines, the state’s largest private employer, and firms like Gulfstream Aerospace and Standard Areo.

Delta is hiring 50 pilots every month and expects to increase that pace to cope with a coming wave of retirements. It also needs employees with technical backgrounds for other positions as well, notes Capt. Steve Dickson, senior vice president of flight operation for the airline.

“The airlines as well as defense manufacturers are essentially dealing with the same demographic (of retiring engineers). … We really need to work harder as a country to make sure that our base doesn’t erode,” he said.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, which has 6,000 workers in Georgia, is also dealing with a wave of retirements, according to Jack Crisler, the manufacturer’s vice president, who expressed similar concerns about having enough technically trained people to hire.

via Georgia aviation industry concerned about quality workers | savannahnow.com.