# Why Aviation Maintenance Is the Next Generation's Best-Kept Career Secret | Jennifer Radtke, Boeing

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-lost-art-of-the-skilled-trades-6923648/why-aviation-maintenance-is-the-next-generation-s-best-kept-career-secret-jennifer-radtke-boeing
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-lost-art-of-the-skilled-trades-6923648/why-aviation-maintenance-is-the-next-generation-s-best-kept-career-secret-jennifer-radtke-boeing.md
Podcast: [The Lost Art Of the Skilled Trades](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-lost-art-of-the-skilled-trades-6923648)
Published: 2026-05-19T22:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://the-lost-art-of-skilled-trades.captivate.fm/episode/why-aviation-maintenance-is-the-next-generations-best-kept-career-secret-jennifer-radtke-boeing
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/517ed233-5a53-4156-bccb-42e406dbed42.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-lost-art-of-the-skilled-trades-6923648/episodes/why-aviation-maintenance-is-the-next-generation-s-best-kept-career-secret-jennifer-radtke-boeing
Duration seconds: 1899

## Resource

Aviation maintenance is booming — and Boeing's Jennifer Radtke says the mechanic shortage now outpaces the pilot shortage for the first time in history. 710,000 aviation technicians will be needed over the next 20 years. Airlines are already experiencing delays from maintenance staffing gaps — and that number is only going to grow. Yet most young people still have no idea this career path exists, what it pays, or how far it can take them. Jennifer Radtke has spent 32 years in aviation, starting as a mechanic and working her way to Functional Chief Engineer at Boeing — a role she didn't even know existed when she started. Her message is simple: the trades are not a fallback. In aviation, they're a launchpad. Jennifer Radtke is a Director and Functional Chief Engineer for Product Support Engineering at Boeing. With 32 years in the aviation industry — starting on the wrench-turning side of the business — she now leads technical workforce development, mentorship programs, and the engineering pipeline for one of the largest aerospace companies in the world. If you're in the trades, considering aviation maintenance, or working to build the next generation of skilled workers, this episode is for you. You'll walk away with a clear picture of what this career actually pays, what it can become, and exactly how to navigate it from day one. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00) – Systems, Safety, and What Makes a Plane Actually Fly: Jennifer explains why aviation maintenance is less about individual parts and more about systems thinking — and why the mechanics who maintain those systems are the unsung backbone of every flight. (04:00) – Embracing the Suck: What It's Really Like Under Pressure: New aviation mechanics face intense scrutiny with every maintenance delay — Jennifer shares what it ta…

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