A lack of skilled maintenance technicians within the aviation sector is restricting market growth within developing nations, while generating a shortage in local markets. This poses alarming issues for air safety and threating the sustainability of the aviation industry in developing countrie FL Technic Training said.

Deputy Head of FL Technics Training Dainius Sakalauskas explained that air operators across Sub-Saharan Africa, SE Asia and Central America are struggling to find the necessary qualified technicians to meet their daily operational demands within the sector causing disruption to the sector and raising safety issues. He reiterated that qualified technicians are heading to more prosperous regions where they enjoy greater pay and better conditions which cannot be matched by airlines in developing countries.  Countries with a large aviation sector such as Nigeria, Kenya and Ethiopia amongst others have been experiencing this shortage at an alarming rate. The problem is compounded by the fact that training highly skilled persons is expensive in many cases, with a large share of developing countries needing huge investments to infrastructural facilities within the sector.

Mr. Sakalauskas argued that state-level policies are limiting the movement for persons on a regional level and restricting the adequate allocation of manpower. He called for less bureaucratic hurdles to the regional movement of persons as it would encourage more skill retention within the continent. He praised the progress in reducing the extent of a skills exodus where governments in effected nations have sought the benefits of skill retention plans, including special allowances, defined salary increments and additional non-cash rewards while some African countries also signed with overseas training to encourage a steady flow of local technicians back into the market.

Dainius Sakalauskas held that companies and higher regulatory bodies need to provide internal and external solutions to ensure the retention of technician skills. However, for airlines seeking greater certainty in personnel placement, certain maintenance training outfits can offer long-term package deals to afford a steady-stream of qualified staff.