Air Washington - Creating Careers in Aerospace
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Keywords
aerospace, manufacturing, transportation, student success
Project
Authors
Kershner, Jim
Date Submitted
2015
Material Type
Final Program Report
Secondary Material Type
Job Training/Fieldwork Experiences
Program
Program
Institution
Spokane Community College
Industry Partner
Washington State Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing
License
CC BY
Funding Source
Additional Public Access
Abstract
In 2010, unemployment in Washington State hit
a Great Recession high of 10.4 percent. Yet the Boeing
Company was having trouble finding skilled workers
to build its planes, including the revolutionary new
787 Dreamliner. Several of the state’s community
college presidents began looking for ways to address
this economic disconnect. One of them, Joe Dunlap of
Spokane Community College, found a possible solution
in Washington, D.C., where the U.S. Department of
Labor was preparing to distribute $2 billion in grants for
workforce education and retraining as part of President
Barack Obama’s economic stimulus program. Dunlap
and like-minded executives at ten other colleges applied
for a grant as a statewide consortium. They asked for
the maximum single grant amount—$20 million—and
they got it. Four years after the program started, more
than 4,700 students have graduated and moved into the
booming aerospace workforce, changing the lives of
many for the better. This book recounts how the unusual
educational initiative was put together, and what it taught
both educators and students.
Industry (NAISC)
Manufacturing -- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing -- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (3364)
Occupation (SOC)
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations -- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (49-3011)
Instructional Program (CIP)
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians (47)
Credit Type
Credential Type
None