The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Foundation announced today that it will add a maintenance and manufacturing pathway to its High School Aviation STEM Curriculum, the free, nationally recognized program that has reached more than 130,000 students since it launched in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new curriculum, which is made possible by a donation from Gregory and Cindy Kozmetsky through their GCK Legacy Fund\u2014a donor advised fund\u2014will complement existing pilot, drone, and career preparation courses. The AOPA Foundation will also form an advisory board consisting of industry leaders and educators to ensure the curriculum will prepare students for a career in aviation maintenance and manufacturing while also working within the constraints of a typical high school environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like all other courses in its aviation STEM curriculum, the maintenance and manufacturing course will be offered at no cost to participating schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLike a lot of AOPA members, I\u2019ve experienced the mechanic shortage firsthand,\u201d said AOPA Acting Co-President Katie Pribyl. \u201cBetween long waits at shops that are booked out for months and annual inspections that stretch on for weeks\u2014not to mention the void that\u2019s left when a trusted A&P retires\u2014the mechanic shortage has a real impact on our members every day. Every student in this course represents dozens of aircraft that can keep flying. That’s why the addition of this maintenance and manufacturing curriculum isn\u2019t just good for students\u2014it\u2019s good for our members who depend on a healthy maintenance workforce to keep flying.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the 2025-2026 school year, the AOPA high school program served more than 32,000 students at more than 1,500 high schools\u2014and, for the first time, it was taught in all 50 states, in addition to two U.S. territories. Since its inception, the AOPA curriculum has prepared a diverse group of students\u2014half of whom are students of color, and almost 25 percent are female\u2014for careers in aviation. The curriculum is STEM.org reviewed, and offered free to schools, districts, nonprofits, and homeschool co-ops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re proud of the success the AOPA high school program has had,\u201d said AOPA Foundation Programs Vice President Dan Justman. \u201cWe continue to see strong year-over-year growth\u2014and we hear from graduates every day about how this program changed their lives and set them on the path toward successful careers in the aviation industry. With this new pathway, we can open that same door for students who want to build and maintain aircraft, and the industry is waiting for every one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n