Indo-Pacific Focus: Recruit, Train, Retain Aviation Maintenance Technicians

This is the first of several articles focusing on the upending of programs to recruit, train and retain career aviation maintenance technicians (AMTs) in the Indo-Pacific region.

Denis Manson, Technical Director at Ten Hammers Digital Training, summarized several of the overarching developments that are creating a requirement for more AMTs in this region, and leading to changes in the way these professionals are recruited, trained and retained. The executive shared his insights from the perspectives of completing a 40-year career in Australia as a licensed aircraft maintenance technician and technical instructor for operators in different aviation sectors, and being a frequent presenter in maintenance sessions at Halldale events.

At the top of the community expert’s list of forces generating the demand for more AMTs in the region are increases in: the middle class in India, China, Vietnam and other nations and these individuals’ aspirations to travel by air; aviation activity in Europe and the US which is, in turn, leading to a ripple effect for more Asia MRO activity and; personal income and net worth for many individuals in higher earnings brackets, producing a call for more regional business aviation services.

The industry veteran then pointed to underlying, concurrent developments helping to transform the AMT workforce – which will have our attention in this series.

Three of Manson’s initial observations were: an increase in training activity locally, including learning associated with MROs; new greenfield colleges being established and investment/outreach from existing colleges; and attempts to create a free flow of labor, “still constrained by aviation regulators and complicated immigration laws – it is a slow process to get a visa.”

Beyond Manson’s crisp, strategic overview, Lufthansa Technical Training (LTT) through Lufthansa Technical Training Philippines (LTTP) and ST Engineering (STE) provided context to a new storyline in this region’s MRO community –organizations investing more resources in talent development, training and upskilling current workforce members’ capabilities.

Starting the AMT Journey: Beyond Looking for a Job

At first glance, LTT provides a tall order for its staffs in and beyond Indo-Pacific: to attract the next generation of AMTs the industry must speak their language - digitally, globally, and purposefully. Lufthansa Technical Training addresses this challenge – and opportunity – by offering a modern, blended learning journey that aligns with the expectations of today’s digital-native workforce.

Specifically, the global enterprise pointed out it, “integrates immersive and mobile-first training platforms such as LUNEEK, along with gamified content, virtual simulations, and 360° panoramic tools to create a more engaging learning experience. These innovations help position the aircraft maintenance career path as a forward-looking and meaningful profession - especially important in competitive labor markets like the Indo-Pacific.”

As Laura Diedrich, Head of Lufthansa Technical Training Operations Asia-Pacific, added, “Young professionals are no longer just looking for a job – they are looking for purpose, growth, and flexibility. And it is now the companies that are looking for them - we are clearly seeing the transition from a employer-centered to an employee-centered labor market. The key to attracting and retaining skilled technicians lies in offering a modern learning journey that blends digital and hands-on training with global perspectives and long-term career potential, while making them feel ‘at home in their future company from day 1 on with a professional, engaging onboarding’.”

Similarly, Maria Lourdes Ann “LA” Cruz, Vice-President, People Department, Lufthansa Technik Philippines, emphasized, “We believe training is an essential part of the employee journey. LTTP supports us with practical, high-quality programs that help new technicians grow with confidence from day one.”

Jeffrey Lam, President Commercial Aerospace, ST Engineering, is also focused on meeting the demands of the modern MRO workforce beginning at the accession level. The corporate leader told CAT that STE has a number of efforts underway to build a strong talent pipeline. “These include active investments in career development pathways, structured training programs and apprenticeships. At the same time, we’re enhancing our employee value proposition with competitive compensation packages and clear career progression opportunities to retain and grow our existing workforce.”

One underpinning strategy to permit STE to help establish a solid workforce footing is its active efforts to form partnerships with educational institutions in the communities its operates in to attract and train students for a career in aviation maintenance. “In Singapore, we have a longstanding collaboration with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) to provide training, internships and employment opportunities for their students and graduates, including the joint set-up of Onboarding@SKILL, an engine MRO training facility that replicates actual processes in the MRO industry,” the industry executive pointed out.

Lam noted in US, where STE has a strong presence in Pensacola, Florida, the company is collaborating with Pensacola State College to support their new Aviation Training Academy. The leader continued, “We have also set up a scholarship program with the Pensacola mayor’s office to support local students keen to pursue an aviation maintenance career.”

Train: Blending Innovation with Fundamentals

The stakes are immense for MROs in Indo-Pacific, and elsewhere, to get it right with workforce training – and with good reasons. While there are hints of productivity erosion in some quarters of the civil aviation industry, and safety lapses continue across the enterprise – from taxiing aircraft wings “touching,” to a tool inadvertently left in an onboard system, to a ground/ramp operator being struck and injured by a vehicle. And to manage expectations, while LTT and STE are bringing to bear attention-getting technologies to strengthen training through a workforce member’s career, hands-on skill sets remain vital to these aspiring and veteran professionals.

LTT combines certified, high-quality theoretical and practical training under EASA Part-147 with cutting-edge digital learning tools. The organization noted its Online Distance Learning (ODL) platform - EASA-approved and developed during the pandemic - continues to transform the way theory training is delivered. It allows students to interact with instructors, access simulations and schematics, and continue progressing even amid travel restrictions.

At the same time, hands-on skills remain central to the organization’s programs. LTT emphasized, “Whether in Europe or at our LTT training center in the Philippines, practical training on real aircraft, engines, and systems is indispensable. We are also exploring virtual reality applications in both basic and type training, particularly to bring aircraft environments into the classroom - although regulation still limits formal credit recognition for such methods.”

STE works closely with OEMs on up-to-date training programs to equip its technicians and engineers with the necessary skills for new or upgraded platforms. For example, ST Engineering is supported by Boeing in terms of training for troubleshooting and fixing electrical issues for the Boeing 787 platform, as well as system type courses specifically designed for the Dreamliner.

STE’s Lam noted the use of advanced technologies such as AI, augmented reality, and robotics on the shopfloor is driving greater productivity while ensuring consistent safety and quality outcomes and significantly added, “By integrating these technologies into MRO training programs, MRO companies can develop a more skilled and efficient workforce. These programs also support upskilling employees with the aptitude and interest to operate robotic or automated systems, while offering reskilling opportunities for others to take on new roles within the organization.”

Onboarding@SKILL, the previously mentioned training facility ST Engineering set up with ITE, is equipped with some of the latest technologies used at STE engine workshops. The corporate leader added students and trainees will be taught to use digital work cards that facilitate paperless and real-time operations, Augmented Reality (AR) tools to help with inspection works, and robotics for engine parts servicing to increase efficiency and reduce repetitive work.

Retain: Building Careers, not Just Skills

A valuable post-Covid pandemic economic lesson continues to resonate through the civil aviation industry – it is cheaper and easier to retain a good pilot, flight attendant, customer agent or, in our case, maintenance technician, than to recruit and qualify these and other new workforce members.

Of no surprise, LTT’s aperture is expanding on workforce retention, to the point where retention is no longer just about good contracts - it’s about clear development paths. The company noted this includes not only certifications – like the EASA CAT B license and EASA-approved aircraft type training, both important career stepping stones – but also crucial soft skills such as: technical English proficiency; a mindset that embraces taking on responsibility and accountability for actions; cultural awareness for multinational environments; and advanced troubleshooting in digital and avionics systems

The company continued, “We also work closely with Lufthansa Technik and its MRO partners to ensure that training aligns with operational demands and maintenance organization requirements - whether in Germany or across the Indo-Pacific.”

ST Engineering adopts a multi-pronged retention approach that includes clear career pathways, mentorship opportunities, regular employee engagement through surveys and focus groups, and targeted recognition and retention initiatives to support and incentivise its mid- and senior-career technicians. Lam added that across ST Engineering’s commercial aerospace operations, the organization is also incorporating more robotics and smart technologies into its work processes to minimize routine, time-consuming processes, enabling its senior workforce to leverage their experience for more fulfilling, higher-value tasks.

On the Horizon

Asked how their MROs’ training enterprises will evolve in the next 12-18 months, LTT noted it strongly believes that blended learning methodologies, ongoing regulatory collaboration and a commitment to both digital and hands-on excellence will define the next generation of maintenance training. “Our portfolio of over 1,500 training solutions is available worldwide and continues to evolve with customer needs, including tailored programs delivered onsite or at our locations in Germany and the Asia-Pacific region,” the organization concluded.

Corporate leader Lam noted ST Engineering’s global capacity is expanding with airframe facilities in Ezhou, China, Pensacola and Changi Creek, Singapore, progressively coming online over the next one to two years. To meet the resultant demand for more technicians and engineers, we will continue to work with local communities and educational partners to train and recruit more young talents in aviation maintenance,” he said and concluded, “In Singapore, we have partnered Singapore’s National Trade Union Congress to establish Company Training Committees (CTCs) that systematically align workforce development with organizational priorities and evolving industry demands. Over the next 12–18 months, these CTCs will spearhead initiatives to strengthen technical, adaptive, and digital capabilities, addressing skills gaps and enhancing operational productivity.”