A looming wave of retirements is set to leave airlines short of aircraft mechanics, and Hawaii is trying to fix it by training teenagers — good news for students looking for a well-paid trade job.

• The industry faces a shortage of 40,000 aircraft mechanics over the next three to five years.
• The average aircraft mechanic today is about 57, so retirements are hitting faster than replacements arrive.
• Hawaii's new Aviation Pathways Program, run by the state education department and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, is the state's first FAA-compliant high school aviation training.
• The two-year course packs in 1,900 hours of training and costs students nothing, while private aviation schools can run up to $60,000.
• Graduates can sit for certification exams and go straight into jobs, and some are already working as mechanic helpers before finishing school.

Outlook: Expect more states and employers to push training into high schools as the mechanic shortage tightens over the next few years.