Maintenance Training

BAASeC is currently partnering with a leading tertiary education institution and a premier local aviation line maintenance firm in Barbados to support the creation of an aviation maintenance training programme. This programme is seen as being vitally important to stem the tide of declining workforce in Barbados and the wider Caribbean region.

It is estimated that the majority of mechanics today are over 40 years old whereas only 27% are under 30 indicating  urgent need to stem the lack of recruitment of young people. Global estimates are that there is an aviation mechanic shortage which is estimated to only grow in the coming years as more mechanics enter retirement. Global industry consulting firm Oliver Wynman estimates that the global industry is already facing a deficit of between 12,000 and 18,000 aviation maintenance workers with forecasts that this will grow to a gap of almost 43,000 within a decade.

In the Barbados and the wider Caribbean region, amid plans for airlift expansion the demands on the sector are only set to become even more intense requiring careful and meticulous labor force planning. BAASeC and its local and international partners are actively developing and pursuing intervention strategies including certification programmes to address this labor force shortage.