Spinwing
The right minded kids are all doing apprenticeships as diesel fitters, boiler makers and heavy machinery technicians because that is where the money is. If you want to attract the right minded kids you have to be able to convince them that they will be financialy capable of moving out of mum and dads place before they finish their fourth year.
The main education problem is in the hangar. I have met so many engineers from the last 2 decades that have completely forgotten how useless they were when they started. This in turns causes them to not give the young inexperienced, under exposed apprentice the credit and attention that they deserve. Some of the best engineers I know weren't worth two dry knobs of billy goats !!!! when they started. Unfortunately, even some of them have forgotten that and that effects their ability to level with an apprentice and in turn to teach them properly.
As I have already said, there is a huge difference in showing a young lad what to take off where and actually taking the time to explain why. Over and over again. It also is a good move to tell them about all the things you stuffed up along the way so they realise how important it is to admit to mistakes and admit when they don't know something.