CARIBAVIA 2025: Unlocking Economic Growth through Aviation Investment By Kathryn B. Creedy.

Economic diversity is the hallmark of governments intent on lifting their populations out of low-paying jobs and it couldn’t be more important for tourism-based economies such as those in the Caribbean, where Capt. Alicia Hackshaw, MSc. is advocating a sea change in the region through developing manufacturing, training, and maintenance hubs.

Aviation Driving Economic Growth

“We must discuss how strategic aviation investments - particularly in training and manufacturing - can drive economic growth, create high-value jobs, and position the Caribbean as a dynamic player in the global aerospace ecosystem,” Hackshaw told delegates at the recent CARIBAVIA conference in St. Barths.

“The Caribbean region is unique - comprising over 700 islands, with a population of more than 30 million. It welcomes an equal number of tourists annually. Despite our geographic and demographic strengths, the aviation sector currently contributes just 1.4% of our GDP - around $2.5 billion. However, the potential is immense. Aviation supports over 1.6 million jobs regionally, spanning airlines, airports, ground services, training, tourism, and logistics.”

Capt. Alicia Hackshaw, MSc.

Her message was delivered to just the right venue since CARIBAVIA has been working on making the region more self-sufficient, rather than allowing the brain drain caused by educating its young overseas. Indeed, across the world there has been a dramatic shift to address such brain drains. Government economic and workforce development officials have identified aviation and aerospace as key economic drivers and are creating the training programs and incentivizing businesses to relocate to states that had no history in either discipline. These university, airport, flight training, maintenance technician career and technical education programs are transforming economies and keeping talent at home.

All-Island Involvement

CARIBAVIA speakers have long advocated for Caribbean-based workforce training and development. The idea would be for each island to benefit as they build the infrastructure to train aviation maintenance technicians, pilots and caterers on makings different islands centers for excellent for these disciplines and providing new opportunities for its 30 million residents.

“The current crew roster of 2,000-3,000 Caribbean pilots train abroad in Europe or the US,” she said, adding they take “$50-75 million in economic value that could be retained locally while strengthening our aviation sector.”

She cited Singapore’s success as a training hub which attracts international students.

Florida did much the same thing over the last 50 years, turning its tourism economy into a destination leveraging the quality of life in the sun to attract the health care, collegiate, aviation, aerospace, banking and manufacturing sectors.

The Space Coast - devastated by the shutdown of the shuttle program - is a perfect example of what the Caribbean could achieve having transformed its launch economy to a robust manufacturing ecosystem delivering aircraft, satellites and rockets by Blue Origin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Embraer, Dassault Falcon Jet, STS Aerospace and Space X. It is the only place on the planet boasting five different transportation modes – aviation, rail, auto, aerospace and Port Canaveral for its cargo and cruise hubs.

Hackshaw said creating a Caribbean Flight Training Academy would reduce the cost of training, create local, high value jobs for flight instructors, simulator technicians and STEM educators, which are the lynchpin of preparing Caribbean residents for future jobs. It also retains and grows revenues beyond tourism spending. The region boasts some of the most unique aviation operations including short runways, tropical weather and terrain which would provide Caribbean pilots with in-demand skills.

Developing MRO to Service Visiting Aircraft

Similarly, the creation of aviation maintenance engineer training would become the basis of burgeoning maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) business. Global training giant CAE, recently predicted a worldwide need for 1.4 million new aviation professionals by 2034 including 300,000 pilots and 416,000 aviation maintenance engineers. It forecast a need for 71,000 air traffic controllers and 678,000 cabin crew. The Caribbean has a handful of indigenous airlines, 34 commercial airports, numerous fixed base operators, is a magnet for business aviation and all require robust training pipelines. Creating training organizations to feed Caribbean Airlines, Bahamasair, Cayman Airways and interCaribbean in addition to business aviation and airport talent pathways would be a game changer.

Hackshaw also argued for the creation of an Aerospace Manufacturing Market in the islands, pointing to the success attracting Lufthansa Technik’s MRO facility in Puerto Rico.

“Globally, the aerospace manufacturing market is booming and valued at US$412 billion in 2023,” she reported. “That is expected to exceed $550 million by 2030. Countries like Mexico and Morocco have leveraged this sector to diversify their economies and create high-paying STEM jobs through Free Trade (FTZs) and Special Economic (SEZs) zones. The Caribbean can follow suit because we have so many strategic advantages.”

She pointed to the economic ties to both North American and European markets and the creation of FTZs and SEZs offering tax incentives and streamlined regulations. Hackshaw also said manufacturing in the Caribbean could include aircraft subassemblies, cabin interiors, composite components, wire harnesses, avionics, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and light aircraft.

“A 500-person aerospace plant can stimulate 1,500 additional jobs in related sectors,” she suggested.

Hackshaw concluded by saying there is no reason the Caribbean cannot take advantage of the dramatic economic and technical changes coming from rising demand for air services, regional air mobility and by following Mexico’s aerospace boom and Singapore’s training export model. She also pointed to the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School in Georgetown, Guyana, as well as the European Space Agency’s launch facilities, illustrating that aviation and aerospace is already in the Caribbean and can be expanded.

She called for public-private partnerships to fund training center infrastructure, the leveraging of existing regional airports as training hubs; certification under CAA, FAA and EASA authorities; and the formation of alliances with manufacturing OEMs for the installation of simulators and manufacturing partnerships.

“Singapore, Mexico and Morocco show us emerging regions can lead in aviation if the right infrastructure and vision are in place,” she said. “We need a similar model - a dedicated aviation and aerospace training institution serving not just the local industry but as a regional centre of excellence. It’s time for governments, educators, investors and citizens to unite behind aviation as a strategic growth engine by providing clear policy initiatives that support the development of training centers, investment in FTZ/SEZ infrastructure and regional collaboration across CARICOM. The challenges are tough, but not impossible.”

Kathryn Creedy with Alicia Hackshaw.

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 7th August 2025 | Issue #807