Envoy partners with a wide range of industry groups to hire the best of the best across our operation. Recently, the Air Operations Recruitment team attended the 2025 Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC) Annual Conference, this year in Norfolk, Virginia.
Hosted by the Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM), the ATEC conference brings aircraft maintenance professionals together to collaborate, network and discuss topics impacting our industry. This year’s topics included workforce development, regulatory updates, and the future of aviation maintenance.
Welcome to ATEC
The conference opened with a warm welcome from Nicole Gleaton, Chair of the ATEC Annual Conference Committee, and featured keynote speaker Joel English, who presented a documentary on women in aviation maintenance. Sessions covered critical topics like bridging workforce gaps, the FAA’s regulatory updates, and strategies to improve aviation technician training.
Recognizing Excellence
Two outstanding individuals were honored during the event. Omar Aquilera, Lead AMT Instructor at California Aeronautical University, received the 2025 Ivan D. Livi Aviation Maintenance Educator of the Year Award for his distinguished 20-year career in aviation education. Brittany McFadden, a student at Alabama Aviation College, earned the 2025 James Rardon Aviation Maintenance Technician Student of the Year Award for her academic excellence and leadership.
Networking with Industry Colleagues
Attendees enjoyed networking opportunities at the Nauticus Museum, followed by a maritime soirée with a choice of a sunset sailboat cruise or river tour of Norfolk’s naval base. A relaxed dinner event at The Harbor Club concluded the evening.
Hiring the Best of the Best
On Wednesday, attendees toured the Military Aviation Museum and NASA Langley Research Center, followed by a tour of the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, where Envoy hosted on-site interviews.
“Events such as ATEC are an important part of our Air Ops hiring strategy, and also allow us to network and learn from our colleagues across the aviation industry,” said Envoy Manager, Air Operations Recruitment Steve Cates. “As Envoy’s fleet continues to grow, we’re making sure that we have the best aircraft mechanics and up-to-date processes to keep our fleet – and the thousands of customers we serve every day – safe and compliant.”
Want to join our Aircraft Maintenance team? Click here to view our Careers page.
