FAA Workforce Grants Delayed Amid Push to Strip Diversity Language, Worsening Mechanic Shortage

Plans to address a growing shortage of U.S. aircraft mechanics are stalled as federal workforce grants remain on hold over efforts to remove diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) language from funding notices, industry officials told Reuters.

According to Reuters, Congress last year approved $160 million in funding through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Workforce Development Grants, pledging $80 million over four years for aircraft maintenance training and a matching amount for manufacturing. But schools and industry groups say they have yet to see the money, despite an urgent need for more skilled workers.

The delay comes as the U.S. faces an expected 10% shortfall in certified mechanics this year, according to a new report from the Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC). Demand for workers is being driven by higher aircraft production at Boeing and Airbus, along with the need for increased maintenance.

Officials at technical colleges said the FAA told them to reapply for grants once applications were revised to eliminate DEI references, in line with executive orders signed by former President Donald Trump. They say no new application notices have been released. The FAA was not immediately available for comment.

DEI programs aim to expand opportunities for women, minorities, LGBTQ+ people and other underrepresented groups. Industry leaders note that women account for less than 3% of the U.S. aircraft maintenance workforce. Critics, including Trump and his allies, argue such initiatives undermine merit-based hiring and discriminate against other groups.

The grant delays were a key topic at an ATEC gathering in Washington this week. Crystal Maguire, ATEC’s executive director, said training programs are caught in political limbo at a time when the industry cannot afford setbacks.

“Now those dollars are being held up and we don’t know why,” Maguire said.

Jim Hall, vice president of aviation and workforce development at WSU Tech in Wichita, Kansas, warned the holdup is limiting how many students can be trained.

“We educate to build a workforce,” Hall said. “There are no politics involved in this.”