Choose Aerospace President Shares Impact Of Laureate-Winning High School Program

At Aviation Week's 2026 Laureate Awards, Ryan Goertzen, president of Choose Aerospace, discusses its High School Program, which won the MRO Grand Laureate Award. 

The program equips students with industry-recognized credentials and early FAA mechanic certification opportunities, addressing the aviation maintenance workforce shortage.

Goertzen shares a compelling success story of a student from Putnam City High School who started learning aviation basics as a sophomore and now works full-time in the industry.

Since 2020, the program has reached nearly 2,000 learners across 40 U.S. programs, paving the way for the next generation of aviation professionals.