Annapolis, MD — Governor Moore today delivered the keynote address at the graduation ceremony for the inaugural cohort of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) program. The governor recognized the accomplishments of the graduates and highlighted the administration’s historic investments in Maryland’s regional aviation network, as a part of the Moore-Miller administration’s investments in lighthouse industries, like aerospace, life sciences, defense and manufacturing, and the broader effort to expand workforce development on the Eastern Shore and throughout Maryland.
“Aviation technicians serve as the backbone of our state’s aerospace infrastructure, both connecting our nation through safe travel and driving innovation in an industry of the future,” said Gov. Moore. “These graduates’ achievements here today is a reminder of why our administration is making historic investments in aerospace and our other lighthouse industries– to build opportunities for work, wages and wealth and leave no one behind in a quickly expanding economy.”
The AMT program provides students with critical technical skills and establishes a direct pathway into high-demand aviation careers. The 12-month course covers Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) general, airframe, and powerplant subject areas. The program pairs classroom instruction with hands-on laboratory experience in aircraft inspection, maintenance, repair, troubleshooting, safety, and regulatory compliance. Graduates are eligible to complete the required FAA examinations for Airframe and Powerplant certification or transition into the Bachelor of Science degree program in Aviation Maintenance Management at UMES.
In Fiscal Year 2026, the Moore-Miller administration, through the Maryland Aviation Administration, has allocated over $2.9 million in state funding directly to regional airport projects to modernize infrastructure, enhance traveler safety, and boost local economies. Major investments include $639,726 for runway improvements at Easton Airport, $601,781 for taxiway upgrades at Ocean City Municipal Airport, and $472,016 for the Hagerstown Regional Airport terminal expansion. The funding also supports everyday operations like, providing new weather tracking systems for Baltimore’s Pier 7 Heliport and essential maintenance for smaller community airports across Western Maryland, the Eastern Shore, and Southern Maryland.
Additionally, the Moore-Miller administration continues to support the aerospace industry as a lighthouse industry in Maryland. The governor’s targeted strategy includes partnering with major aerospace and defense contractors to expand their manufacturing and research footprints in Maryland and investing in programs to help Marylanders build skills for careers in high-growth industries increasingly shaped by other emerging technologies.
Earlier this summer, Governor Moore announced $1.23 million award for the Maryland Lighthouse Industries Upskilling and Reskilling Program which will support nearly 600 individuals, and go to organizations across Maryland that are expanding workforce training opportunities in the state’s critical lighthouse industries, including life sciences, technology, aerospace, defense, and manufacturing.
Previously, while visiting the Salisbury Regional Airport to break ground on their runway extension, the governor toured the new hangar and greeted the first cohort of students who were beginning the AMT program. Today’s ceremony marks a major milestone for the graduates as well as the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) and for state, local, and industry partners.
