Annual Survey 2021

1. Instructions and Program Information

The Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC) is conducting a survey of aviation technical schools to assess key trends in aviation maintenance education and guide future association activities and priorities. Schools are asked to make one submission per location. For those institutions with multiple campuses, survey response requests were sent to the primary contact at each location.

Please complete all questions, using estimated if actual data is not available. Skip a question only if the requested information is not tracked and estimates are not attainable, since partial submissions could negatively affect aggregate results and therefore may not be included in the survey's final analysis.

Results of this survey will be published in the ATEC Pipeline Report, and participating schools will be listed in the 2021 publication. Specific identifying information regarding programs offered, current enrollment, and graduation dates will also be included in ATEC’s online school directory. If you do not wish to have submitted information included in either resource, please submit written notification to atec@atec-amt.org.

A PDF version of the survey is also available for download here.

The survey is open Jan. 28 - Feb. 15, 2021.

Question Title

* 1. What stand-alone technical aviation-related programs does your institution offer? (Check all that apply.)

Airframe and/or powerplant

Avionics/aviation electronics

Unmanned aircraft systems

Composites

Welding

Nondestructive testing

Sheet metal

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 2. What credential(s) does your institution offer/facilitate? (Check all that apply.)

American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT)

ASTM NCATT Aerospace/Aircraft Assembly (AAA)

ASTM NCATT Aircraft Electronics Technician (AET) (including any endorsements)

ASTM NCATT Foreign Object Elimination (FOE)

ASTM NCATT Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for Large UAS (over 55 lbs)

CertTEC Aircraft Electrician Electrical Wiring Interconnection System (AE-EWIS) Practical Skills Certificate

CertTEC Aircraft Electronics Technician (AET) Practical Skills Certificate

CertTEC Aircraft Structures Technician - Advanced

CertTEC Aircraft Structures Technician - Basic

CertTEC Aviation Mechanical Assembly

CertTEC Basic Composites

Electronics Technicians Association-International (ETA-I) Avionics Technician (AVN)

Federal Communication Systems Ground Radiotelephone Operators License (GROL)

NC3 Drop Prevention Systems

NC3 Multimeter

NC3 Precision Electrical Assembly

NC3 Precision Electrical Termination

NC3 Precision Measuring Instruments

NC3 Structural Sheetmetal Assembly

NC3 Torque Fundamentals

The institution does not offer any third-party credentialing

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 3. What national or regional agency accredits your institution?

I do not know

The school and/or program is not accredited

Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)

Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET)

Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)

Council of Occupational Education (COE)

Higher Learning Commission (HLC) (formerly, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA))

Middle States Commission on Higher Education

New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE)

New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Technical and Career Institutions (NEASC-CTCI)

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission on Colleges

Other, state-based accreditor

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 4. What percentage increase (or decrease) did you see in overall technical aviation program enrollment going from 2019 to 2020?

-100%

300%

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

Question Title

* 5. What percentage increase (or decrease) did you see in overall technical aviation program enrollment this year (2021) compared to last year (2020)?

-100%

300%

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

Question Title

* 6. What drove the change/non-change in overall technical aviation program enrollment for the 2021 academic year? (Check all that apply.)

Market demands

Income potential for graduates

Cost of tuition

Recruitment activities (or lack of if enrollment is expected to decline)

Industry partnership programs

Faculty new hires (or departures if enrollment is expected to decline)

COVID-19 concerns and challenges

Enrollment capacity limits

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 7. What are the most significant barriers to growing your program(s)? (Check all that apply.)

Burdensome Federal Aviation Administration regulatory requirements (outdated part 147)

Burdensome federal or local Department of Education regulatory or accreditation requirements

Program cost and/or inaccessibility to student financial aid

Insufficient marketing or lack of effective marketing and/or enrollment management expertise or resources

Insufficient career and/or program awareness

Inability to hire and retain faculty

Insufficient facilities, tools, materials, and/or equipment

Unavailable or inaccessible local, state and/or federal government funding for the program(s)

Inability to attract students because of the lack of career prospects

Inability to attract students because of insufficient income potential in aviation maintenance careers

Challenges to administer programs given COVID-19 safety protocols and restrictions

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 8. Does your institution hold a Federal Aviation Administration part 147 aviation maintenance training school certificate?

Yes

No, but the school is considering it or already in the application process