Mctcs eligibility as an entity to apply for this grant is based on its status as an accredited institution of higher education

The mctc aviation workforce empowerment program (awep) proposal falls under the eligible project types:a. Projects that establish new educational programs that teach technical skills used in aviation maintenance c. Projects that support outreach about careers in the aviation maintenance industry to secondary school students and communities underrepresented in the industry d. Projects that support educational opportunities related to aviation maintenance in economically disadvantaged geographic areas e. Projects that support the transition to careers in aviation maintenance. The aviation industry faces a critical challenge: a growing shortage of skilled aviation maintenance technicians (amts). Despite the industry s projected 4.1% growth rate till 2032 and 3% global cargo fleet expansion, the shortage of amts persists, posing operational and safety risks. Kentucky s thriving aviation and aerospace sector projects a 15% surge in AMT demand by 2030, requiring 270 annual openings and totaling 3,020 positions. This scarcity endangers aircraft safety, extends downtimes, and hampers efficiency. The mctc aviation workforce empowerment program (awep) project tackles the scarcity of skilled aviation maintenance technicians and regional inequalities by providing an extended FAA-certified curriculum, interactive and engaging career workshops for middle school students, and targeted equity-focused sessions for high schoolers to produce highly prepared amts collaborating with educational institutions, industry experts, experimental aircraft association (EAA) chapters, and local school districts, awep aims to empower students and cultivate a highly prepared AMT workforce, bolstering the aviation sector. The awep project leverages opportunities gained from past investments from the federal aviation administration and the kentucky department of aviation that lead to the development of a new runway, airport parking, lighting, and hangars at the fleming-mason airport located within minutes of mctcs maysville campus.