The aviation and MRO Sector was urged to inspire a new generation of technicians to join the industry as it faces a “race against time” to plugs skills gaps.
An expert panel on talent evolution and retention heard that engineering roles in aviation are likely to be “AI-proof” because people will always be needed.
But the panel agreed that the industry must embrace the latest technologies to inspire young students at an early age to consider a career in the aviation sector.
Sorush Satar, technical product manager at Lufthansa Technical Training, said: “The maintenance area is more or less AI-proof when it comes to technicians working on aircraft.
“What AI will do is change the role of the technician. Processes will speed up. Things will accelerate. Being a technician is very attractive. I think, also, it’s very sexy. Could we do more to make it more attractive? Yes, we could.”
Satar said that the apprentices that Lufthansa Technical Training work with have different expectations that older generations, and he said that training regulations must modernise to reflect that.
The panel said that the industry must make training more relevant to a digitally savvy generation while also acknowledging that they bring digital native skills like social media to the sector.
Kerri Kunkel, business analytics manager, BAE Systems electronic systems, controls and avionics solutions, said the time it takes to become competent is shortening because firms are using data as a tool.
“Knowledge transfer, getting up to speed on topics you maybe needed 20 years of experience to become competent. Now, that time gap is shortening,” she said adding that having a technical data background can be used in every part of a business.
Henri Werij, deal of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at TU Delft, said developing critical thinkers who can work independently and as part of a team is crucial, as is introducing them to new technologies like AI.
And he said: “What’s important is you have critical thinkers who can work independently. We also want our student to be able to collaborate. The type of people you need are not just coming from university. You have to connect to vocational education as well.”
Kenan Sahan, senior vice president of human resources, Turkish Technic, said roles are evolving and the sector is in a “race against time” to develop the workforce that will help the industry in its core mission to keep aircraft flying.
He said Turkish Technic has “proactive recruitment processes” to achieve this. “We work with vocational groups and universities”, he said so that when students are at the stage to take up internships they are ready.
He said this makes the onboarding a simpler and shorter process and the recruitment is more successful because it is based on six months of observation rather than just a 55 minute interview.
Werij said: “I would like to send out an invitation to the industry. We have to be involved early on. If you just arrive when they graduate I can guarantee you they will have found a job elsewhere.”
