The Latest in MRO Training Initiatives

Ethiopian Airlines has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of Mississippi to introduce a number of aviation-related training programs into the existing courses of Ethiopian Aviation Academy (EAA). These programs, which are part of Ethiopian’s Vision 2025 strategic plan to become the leading aviation group in Africa, include a four-year engineering degree program aimed at upgrading EAA’s existing two-year Aircraft Maintenance Training (AMT).

According to The Daily Mississippian, the University’s student newspaper, the Integrated Marketing Communication program that will be introduce as part of the MOU will include self-paced online coursework, but Ethiopian Airlines could not be reached for comment about whether the AMT portion will follow a similar model.

Snap-on is expanding its Tools for Life technical education program by offering a certification for Structural Sheetmetal Assembly. The program will give students and technicians exposure to a variety of drilling, fastening and verification methods, which Snap-on says are critical in the aerospace industry since proper layout, preparation and fastening of sheetmetal assemblies are core tasks.

The educational program’s goal is to develop product certification courses to enhance curricula taught in technical classrooms. Currently, more than 240 technical schools and training centers in the U.S. offer specialized Snap-on certifications focused on tool theory, application and usage.

Cape Cod Community College (CCCC) has just graduated its first class of students earning an Associate of Science degree in Aviation Maintenance. The school’s Aviation Maintenance Technology program, which just started in the fall of 2016, has been growing quickly. The program will soon expand with an Avionics Technician program and CCCC also just signed an agreement with Bridgewater State University to provide students with an option for housing near the Plymouth Municipal Airport location.

CCCC President John Cox says the program has seen great success so far, with students already securing jobs within aviation. “Industry is literally knocking down our doors, coming in to meet with the students while they’re early into the program to begin to prime their thinking about job opportunities,” he says.

Cox says the college’s venture into offering an AMT program was inspired by a tour of nearby Cape Air in 2012, which highlighted the local need for aviation maintenance technicians. The college began discussions with industry members and the FAA to build out a program to help meet demand and funding was secured from the state and a Department of Labor grant. Once the location was chosen at the Plymouth Municipal Airport, the college began building out facilities, which include classrooms, a computer lab, office space and three hangars.

The third hangar, which was recently acquired, is currently being renovated for the upcoming avionics program. CCCC did not share a specific date for when the avionics program and hangar will be open, but Cox says there is a plan underway to meet growing demand for avionics technicians.

Lufthansa Technik (LHT) Shannon recently opened a new training facility located within the site’s main hangar. The new facility consists of workshops and classrooms devoted to expanding training in a number of areas, including aircraft composite repairs, electrical and avionics, and sheet metal and structural repair.

“Developing and opening this new campus was in direct response to the battle for talent in Ireland and the worldwide shortage of aircraft mechanics,” says Pat Shine, LHT Shannon’s CEO and managing director. “This investment was imperative to develop aviation professionals of the future, support the development and growth of Lufthansa Technik’s aircraft maintenance business in Shannon and to fuel its expanding international aircraft maintenance training business.”

The EASA and Part 145-approved training school has been in operation since 1990. There are currently 100 students going through aircraft maintenance training at the Shannon campus.

Avocet Aviation has begun working directly with schools and the education community as part of its Stand Up for STEM program, which was launched last fall. The first portion of this work is a three-year apprenticeship program in partnership with the Florida Department of Labor, which the company expects to officially launch soon once the curriculum is approved. The second is an 18-week internship initiative with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which will start with three students beginning in June.

Avocet says the idea with both programs is to start out with a small group so they can fully assess staffing and logistical needs. In the long-term, Avocet plans to expand its facilities at the Orlando Sanford International Airport with an on-site STEM-focused school, workshop and training area. The company is also planning hosted field trips and career days for outreach to young students.

Stratasys has rolled out a new certification program in North America aimed at bridging the additive manufacturing skills gap. The program, which was engineered in conjunction with a number of academic institutions, is designed to provide students with accelerated additive manufacturing credentials to improve their workforce readiness and employability.

“While demand for workers with additive manufacturing expertise continues to rise, there’s really no across-the-board standard to judge credentials,” says Gina Scala, Stratasys’ director of marketing, global education. “We’ve observed employers cannot always align job-specific readiness with additive manufacturing skills, therefore many workers fail to live up to expectations.”

Students enrolled in the program will have access to key technical resources guides, industry use cases, and software preparation and notes. Enrolled educational institutions will have access to 40 contact hours of exam preparation content, which is organized via module and accessible through Stratasys.

The company says the certification program will provide companies with measurable qualifications to prove job applicants are workforce-ready and can immediately contribute to business success.

Greenville Technical College (GTC) has opened a shared facility in the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center (SCTAC) with the South Carolina Army National Guard. The 95,225 sq. ft. facility will save taxpayer dollars and maximize use through its shared usage.

The three-story building, which includes a large hangar that houses 12 fixed-wing aircraft and a helicopter, will give GTC room to expand enrollment in its Aircraft Maintenance Technology (AMT) program. Currently, the college’s AMT program is certified by the FAA for 120 students, but pending FAA approval it will be able to increase that number to 200.

The partnership will also involve GTC offering training to the state’s National Guard personnel to support its need for qualified A&P technicians to work on Lakota helicopters.