The words "vocational technical educational institution" are used throughout this section for consistency in this section.

Aviation Maintenance Industry Technical Workforce

Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title VI, §624, Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3404, provided that:

"(a) Regulations.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 5, 2018], the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall issue a final rule to modernize training programs at aviation maintenance technician schools governed by part 147 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

"(b) Guidance.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall coordinate with government, educational institutions, labor organizations representing aviation maintenance workers, and businesses to develop and publish guidance or model curricula for aviation maintenance technician schools referred to in subsection (a) to ensure workforce readiness for industry needs, including curricula related to training in avionics, troubleshooting, and other areas of industry needs.

"(c) Review and Periodic Updates.—The Administrator shall—

"(1) ensure training programs referred to in subsection (a) are revised and updated in correlation with aviation maintenance technician airman certification standards as necessary to reflect current technology and maintenance practices; and

"(2) publish updates to the guidance or model curricula required under subsection (b) at least once every 2 years, as necessary, from the date of initial publication.

"(d) Report to Congress.—If the Administrator does not issue such final rule by the deadline specified in subsection (a), the Administrator shall, not later than 30 days after such deadline, submit to the appropriate committees of Congress [Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives] a report containing—

"(1) an explanation as to why such final rule was not issued by such deadline; and

"(2) a schedule for issuing such final rule.

"(e) Study.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on technical workers in the aviation maintenance industry.

"(f) Contents.—In conducting the study under subsection (e), the Comptroller General shall—

"(1) analyze the current Standard Occupational Classification system with regard to the aviation profession, particularly technical workers in the aviation maintenance industry;

"(2) analyze how changes to the Federal employment classification of aviation maintenance industry workers might affect government data on unemployment rates and wages;

"(3) analyze how changes to the Federal employment classification of aviation maintenance industry workers might affect projections for future aviation maintenance industry workforce needs and project technical worker shortfalls;

"(4) analyze the impact of Federal regulation, including Federal Aviation Administration oversight of certification, testing, and education programs, on employment of technical workers in the aviation maintenance industry;

"(5) develop recommendations on how Federal Aviation Administration regulations and policies could be improved to modernize training programs at aviation maintenance technical schools and address aviation maintenance industry needs for technical workers;

"(6) develop recommendations for better coordinating actions by government, educational institutions, and businesses to support workforce growth in the aviation maintenance industry; and

"(7) develop recommendations for addressing the needs for government funding, private investment, equipment for training purposes, and other resources necessary to strengthen existing training programs or develop new training programs to support workforce growth in the aviation industry.

"(g) Report.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the results of the study.

"(h) Definitions.—In this section, the following definitions apply:

"(1) Aviation maintenance industry.—The term 'aviation maintenance industry' means repair stations certificated under part 145 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

"(2) Technical worker.—The term 'technical worker' means an individual authorized under part 43 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to maintain, rebuild, alter, or perform preventive maintenance on an aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, or component part or employed by an entity so authorized to perform such a function."

Improvement of Curriculum Standards for Aviation Maintenance Technicians

Pub. L. 108–176, title V, §504, Dec. 12, 2003, 117 Stat. 2559, provided that:

"(a) In General.—The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall ensure that the training standards for airframe and powerplant mechanics under part 65 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, are updated and revised in accordance with this section. The Administrator may update and revise the training standards through the initiation of a formal rulemaking or by issuing an advisory circular or other agency guidance.

"(b) Elements for Consideration.—The updated and revised standards required under subsection (a) shall include those curriculum adjustments that are necessary to more accurately reflect current technology and maintenance practices.

"(c) Certification.—Any adjustment or modification of current curriculum standards made pursuant to this section shall be reflected in the certification examinations of airframe and powerplant mechanics.

"(d) Completion.—The revised and updated training standards required by subsection (a) shall be completed not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 12, 2003].

"(e) Periodic Reviews and Updates.—The Administrator shall review the content of the curriculum standards for training airframe and powerplant mechanics referred to in subsection (a) every 3 years after completion of the revised and updated training standards required under subsection (a) as necessary to reflect current technology and maintenance practices."

Improved Training for Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics

Pub. L. 106–181, title V, §517, Apr. 5, 2000, 114 Stat. 145, provided that: "The Administrator [of the Federal Aviation Administration] shall form a partnership with industry and labor to develop a model program to improve the curricula, teaching methods, and quality of instructors for training individuals that need certification as airframe and powerplant mechanics."