Bergstrom noted that the latter work allowed them to keep employees busy during the pandemic when commercial airlines were barely flying .
From a hiring perspective , Eden observed , “ I think hiring principles are generally consistent across most industries . You are looking for someone who will add to your culture and complement your existing team . What ’ s different is the drastic shortage of aircraft technicians . I didn ’ t have anything of the same scale in healthcare . It ’ s a huge challenge .”
Eden said she loves “ coming to work every day to work with a talented team of HR professionals who share a passion for creating a great workplace . It ’ s a team effort and a joy to work with the people I work with across three states .”
ATS has about 800 employees and contractors in Everett , with about 50 in Moses Lake . They have 1300 employees between Kansas City , Missouri , and Dallas / Fort Worth . “ We primarily need aircraft technicians at every level , including those with zero experience to those with 20-plus years of experience . We also have quite a few openings in logistics and procurement ,” Eden observed .
From a skill set perspective , aircraft mechanics utilize an in-house apprenticeship program . ATS will take “ those with an interest and aptitude for working with their hands , but they don ’ t need experience . We also need people with avionics and flight control experience .” She said there is a balance between having master leads and apprenticeships , so they have people to conduct training and manage apprentices .
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2023 ISSUE NO . 35 11