On day two, attendees headed to the hill, meeting with legislators and aides across both parties and chambers. Read day one’s report here.
Center of Excellence Executive Director Jason Petrait joined Washington State’s delegation and visited Senator Patty Murray’s office to speak with staffers, highlighting the intense industry need for aviation technicians. The team shared more on the supply and demand needs in the industry, then talked through ATEC’s legislative issues, including increasing aviation workforce grants, smoothing the transition of skilled veterans into the aviation workforce and expanding access to FAA airman testing. Echoing other workforce challenges, institutions are at a deficit for testers and FAA rule changes would allow for more testers in more locations.
Later in the day, the delegation joined ATEC staff and board members on the House side of Capitol Hill, meeting with staffers to the House Aviation Subcommittee. The group again shared insight on workforce needs, grants and testers and also highlighted Choose Aerospace, a curriculum rolling out to high schools and nonprofits that provides an introduction to the work aviation maintenance technicians do.
The day ended at a happy hour, with attendees sharing insight and swapping stories from their day on the hill. ATEC’s next event, their annual conference, is set for March 26th through the 29th in Chicago, Illinois.