United Airlines debuts apprenticeship program in Houston to teach aircraft mechanics, technicians
HOUSTON - United Airlines is leaning on Houston again to build its capabilities. Less than two months after expanding a training center for the airlines new flight attendants, the airline began an apprenticeship program designed to help ease a shortage in aircraft mechanics and technicians.
That shortage is no small thing. Boeing estimates the industry needs to recruit, train, and hire 610,000 new maintenance technicians in the next 20 years. At United, the age-old 'apprenticeship', a sort of 'on the job training' is being used to help fix that.
In a corner of Bush Intercontinental, United Airlines' Hangar X is one of the carrier's major maintenance hubs, where jets are kept ready for service. It's also where United plans to train the first of a thousand, new maintenance-technician apprentices over the next three years, with a program dubbed Calibrate.
40-year-old Curtis Durant is among them. He's been looking for a chance to grow.
"It's an incredible opportunity; something that I've always wanted to do, but never had the avenue to do it."
The idea of providing new opportunities is what Calibrate is designed to do. It also hopes to recruit and expand opportunities for women and people of color, in a place they don't often turn.
"Calibrate has an emphasis in going into the environment, going to the middle schools, going to the high schools," says managing director Simone Drakes. "People emulate what they see."
At a ceremony to mark the event, United is joining a growing list of American employers running federally-recognized apprenticeship programs. It's been a hallmark of the Biden Administration, and Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh says it's a critical part of fixing the nation's labor shortage.
"I think the greatest threat to our economy is lack of workers, and programs like this will help in a big way."
For United Airlines, and other industries running apprenticeship programs, it's recognition that they can't wait for people with built-in expertise to walk through the door.
"Instead of using 'hard to find workers' as an excuse, helping build the workforce of the future is something we can do," says United CEO Scott Kirby. "It pays for itself; it's rewarding; it makes a difference in our communities."
United's new Technical Recruitment Center at Bush Intercontinental Airport is where would-be apprentices can learn and apply. Those selected will earn-and-learn, so they get paid through the training process. The first class started in Houston in November. Another started this month in San Francisco, with plans for new classes in United cities across the country.