VAI scholarship provides career pathway for Joshua McGill Discover how VAI scholarship recipients have turned opportunity into achievement—and how you can do the same—in this exclusive VAI Daily series. Are you ready to give your aviation education a boost? The VAI scholarship program is back for 2026, with scholarships available in aviation maintenance, commercial helicopter pilot ratings, and pilot safety. A benefit exclusively for VAI members, the scholarships help vertical aviation pilots, mechanics, engineers, and aspiring professionals cover the costs of their education and training. Not a VAI member? Join the association and enjoy access to the VAI scholarship program as well as a host of additional educational, safety, and other benefits. Then, learn more about the program and submit your application for a 2026 VAI scholarship by the submission deadline, Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. As the submission deadline approaches, we’re highlighting past VAI scholarship winners in a series of articles in VAI Daily. In this installment, we hear from Joshua McGill, 21, recipient of a 2025 Bill Sanderson Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Scholarship, about his dream job, the role of his father as a mentor, and how VAI helps students pay for their education. VAI Daily: What are your career goals? Joshua McGill: My short-term goal is to gain professional experience as an aircraft maintenance technician. I hope to work my way up and build a strong foundation of technical knowledge and practical skills. Over the long term, I hope to grow into a leadership role, where I can help guide a strong maintenance team and pass down my knowledge and skills. My dream job is to be a director of maintenance at a corporate flight department. How will the VAI scholarship help you meet your education goals? The VAI scholarship will help me meet my education goals tremendously by easing the financial aspect and allowing me to focus fully on my studies. The scholarship also gives me access to professional training at an early age, which will ease my job-search process as I enter the workforce in May 2026. Who is your greatest mentor and why? My greatest mentor is my father. He has guided me not just in my career, but also in developing skills like professionalism, attention to detail, and accountability. His encouragement has helped me push through tough times and allowed me to achieve some of my greatest accomplishments. What inspires you about the idea of working within the vertical aviation community? It’s inspiring to me how VAI actively supports and invests in the next generation of professionals. Organizations such as VAI provide opportunities for students like me to learn, grow, and find our place in this field, which is a huge motivator. Knowing there’s a community willing to open doors and share knowledge inspires me to work hard and make the most of these opportunities. Looking ahead, I hope to do the same for others when I’m further along in my career—mentoring students, sharing my experiences, and helping create pathways into this profession, just like VAI is doing for me now. What do you view as the biggest challenges facing the vertical aviation profession? One of the biggest challenges I see involves maintaining a skilled workforce. Unfortunately, there’s currently a huge aircraft technician shortage. I think addressing this hurdle will take continued investment in training, mentorship, and outreach, which is something I believe VAI is already doing well.
