The Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC) has released its 2026 Pipeline report—produced in collaboration with Oliver Wyman.

The 2026 Pipeline Report highlights the growing number of certified mechanics along with aviation industry expansions that keep workforce pressures high.

What growth did AMT certification show in 2025?

According to the ATEC’s latest Pipeline Report, “The FAA issued a record 11,103 new mechanic certificates in 2025—23.2% more than in 2024 and the highest annual total since the agency began publishing the data.”

Of this total, 7,496 were AMTs enrolled in certification programs, which is a 27% increase from last year's report.

Other notable increases include: 

• 13% increase in AMT program enrollment
• 21% increase in mechanics completing programs like apprenticeships
• 5% increase in certificates based on military experience

Additionally, the report notes that women now make up 3.0% of certificated mechanics, which is the largest share of any report so far, indicating a year-over-year increase.

Executive Director of ATEC Maguire said, "The overall growth trend and underlying drivers are encouraging signs that industry is making progress in its effort to expand and diversify the technical workforce pipeline."

Maguire continued, "We need to continue building momentum to meet both near-term and long-term demand needs, and that includes ensuring we're attracting sufficient resources as well as workforce candidates."

Why is the AMT shortage still a risk?

While AMT numbers showed growth in 2025, the 2026 Pipeline Report highlights the aging population of aviation mechanics whose retirement is likely to continue the deficit of skilled technicians.

The report notes that 44% of mechanics in the study were over the age of 60, which could translate to around 39,000 mechanics retiring over the next 10 years.

According to Oliver Wyman, 2026 could see the retirement of around 25,000 aviation technicians in North America, 9,100 of which would be certificated roles.

The ATEC’s 2026 Pipeline Report also shares that survey responders named insufficient funding as the biggest obstacle to growing AMT programs and enrollment, with lack of financial support for:

• Facilities
• Tools
• Materials
• Equipment

The annual Pipeline Report by ATEC and Oliver Wyman is informed by:

• Annual survey
• SME analysis
• FAA data
• Publicly available resources