Taking Off Into the Wind
Aircraft and Avionics Equipment Mechanic and Technician is a high growth job category named one of the 10 highest paying associate degree jobs in 2024. A median annual salary of $70,740, 161,000 jobs available nationally, a critical shortage of technicians, and projected growth in the future, this field offers promising career opportunities.
Minneapolis College’s Aircraft Maintenance Technician program prepares students to perform extensive service, repair, and detailed inspections on all types of aircraft while meeting Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards. The program covers the content and provides the required knowledge and hands on skills to prepare students to take the FAA’s Aircraft & Powerplant (A&P) certification exams.
Two of the four current instructors are all graduates of Minneapolis College’s program and have extensive backgrounds in general and commercial aviation. Faculty member Anna Chadwick is an example of the skills and expertise instructors bring to the program. Anna Chadwick grew up working in her family’s garage alongside her father who could fix anything. The skills she gleaned sparked an interest in being a mechanic and a google search uncovered the field of aircraft maintenance, something new and exciting that paved the way to her future.
Breaking the Glass Ceiling
Time and time again, Chadwick found herself breaking the glass ceiling. In 2006, she earned earned an Associate of Applied Science in Aviation Airframe Technician and Powerplant Technician from Minneapolis College after earning a spot on the Dean’s List every semester. She received several of the women in aviation maintenance scholarships and graduated from the program with no debt.
After graduation, she started her career working as an aircraft service technician, performing critical inspections and repair for private, corporate, and company- chartered aircraft. During that time, she became the first female Aircraft Maintenance Technician to work on the floor at Elliot Aviation in Moline, Il. She also held senior aircraft maintenance positions at Pratt & Whitney, Gulfstream Aerospace, American Family Insurance, and 3M to name a few.
After nearly 10 years in the field and a range of employment opportunities that tested and solidified her skills, Chadwick returned to school, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Aviation Maintenance Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In 2021, she graduated with distinction from Embry-Riddle, earning a Master’s Degree in Aviation Maintenance.
When Chadwick earned her Inspection Authorization License, the highest maintenance license from the FAA, she was the youngest female in the program.
Empowering Girls and Women
Now a mother of two girls, Chadwick has long been passionate about supporting and empowering women. For nine years, she volunteered as the scholarship director for the Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance—a nonprofit dedicated to advancing women’s professional development in aviation maintenance through education, networking, community building, and raising public awareness of women in the industry.
“Scholarships played a vital role in my education, and it’s always been important to me to help ensure other women have the same opportunities to achieve their goals,” said Chadwick, who actively helps her students identify and apply for scholarships. “In total, I was awarded 19 aviation scholarships that supported my education from beginning to end so I know how important they are.”
Chadwick has been an active participant in the Women in Aviation Conference which blends world-class speakers, a busy exhibit hall, and education sessions, creating opportunities for women to connect and network with their peers in the aviation and aerospace industry.
Chadwick can also be found talking with Girl Scouts about the exciting possibilities of a career in aviation, sharing insights not only into what it’s like to maintain an aircraft, but also the experience of flying one. She has earned her private pilot's license.
Returning to Her Roots
In August of 2023, Chadwick returned to where her studies began, this time as an instructor in Minneapolis College’s Aircraft Maintenance Technician program. Driven by integrity and a passion for the industry, Chadwick strives to let students know about the career opportunities for graduates.
“My colleagues and I go above and beyond to help students succeed in this fast-paced program,” said Chadwick who bases her progress on the student’s learning and growth. “There’s nothing more rewarding than working on an aircraft and watching it take off. This program makes that a possibility for students willing to put in the work.”
Minneapolis College’s Aircraft Maintenance Technician program traces its history to WWII, when it prepared mechanics to work in Northwest Airlines’ Modification Center at Holman Field, where aircraft were altered for a variety of military duties. The program began as a public-private partnership with Delta Air Lines/Endeavor Air in 2013, when it received a grant award from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to relocate its program to facilities at Delta. Today, three cohorts of 25 students each progress through the program, helping to meet the growing demands and needs of the industry. The program includes students of all ages, high school to older adults transitioning careers.
Drawing on her experience across every sector of the industry, Chadwick shares a final piece of wisdom to encourage future and current students: “When things get tough, just remember—aircraft take off into the wind.”