AAR, a global, independent provider of aviation services, and Lake Superior College (LSC) have announced expansion of their partnership to further enhance instruction and career prospects for students enrolled in the aviation maintenance technician program at the college’s Center for Advanced Aviation.
The new AAR EAGLE Career Pathway program will expand LSC’s aviation maintenance technician (AMT) program to include job shadowing and mentoring opportunities, as well as academic support and monitoring. Students who pursue the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aircraft mechanic’s certificate are eligible for up to US$15,000 in tuition reimbursements.
LSC President Patrick Johns and leaders from the community and technical college joined AAR’s Ryan Goertzen, Vice President of Aviation Workforce Development, on January 24, for the official announcement at the Center for Advanced Aviation. AAR and LSC have collaborated since 2013 on marketing and recruiting, and to extend apprenticeship opportunities.
AAR is introducing EAGLE Career Pathway at schools near its five U.S. aircraft repair stations. EAGLE demonstrates how students can earn portable, stackable skills credentials to earn a two-year associate degree or enter a management track. The stackable skills enable students who are interested to pursue the coveted position of FAA-certificated airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic. There is a predicted shortage of 189,000 new AMTs in North America through 2037, according to a Boeing study.