Public-Private Partnership Serves Workforce Niche

The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's Subcommittee on Aviation recently reviewed key opportunities and challenges facing the industry.

General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) President and CEO Peter Bunce addressed the subcommittee's July 13 meeting, stating the industry is still struggling with filling technically skilled jobs to operate, maintain, and manufacture aircraft.

Bunce said workforce challenges will become even more acute as general aviation evolves through innovation, which will require a workforce that is more diverse.

Minneapolis Community and Technical College's partner in its Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) program is Delta Air Lines, a leading global carrier. AMT courses are taught in facilities located inside Delta's Building C maintenance facility at Minneapolis - St. Paul International Airport, Delta's third largest hub. The unique program routinely incorporates learning opportunities made possible by this relationship, including guest speakers, and training specific to commercial aviation.

Minneapolis College's Aircraft Maintenance Technician program traces its history to World War II, when it prepared mechanics to work in Northwest Airlines' Modification Center at Holman Field, where aircraft were altered for a variety of military duties. MCTC's program accepts a cohort of 25 new students once per year in the Fall Semester. Students complete the program over six continuous semesters.

The public-private partnership with Delta/Endeavor Air began in 2013, when the college and Delta jointly applied for and received a state workforce development grant, according to MCTC School of Trade Technologies Dean Vince Thomas.

The grant funded a customized training program, in which Minneapolis College was training incumbent Delta support mechanics to provide knowledge and skills for the Federal Aviation Administration airframe and power plant license and exam. "We transformed this into a full-fledged program for degree-seeking students in 2016," Thomas said. "We're on Delta Airlines Preferred Aviation School list. We were granted that status after multiple site inspections to confirm our teaching."

Trevor Klein is a faculty member and aircraft maintenance technology program manager at Minneapolis College. Many of his students have an auto mechanics or mechanical systems background. There are three cohorts (classes) currently going through the MCTC program.

"The majority of our students end up going to Endeavor, Delta, or Sun Country," Klein said. Being located in Twin Cities is the program's biggest strength, Thomas added. It allows MCTC to recruit students who don't want to move out to Thief River Falls or Duluth Another huge advantage is having classes in the Delta C building.

"Students get to see the aircraft as they come in every day," Thomas said. "We have a good program. We are well-positioned to be a feeder for Delta and Endeavor and the few students who go to Sun Country."

Rand Donker is Delta Airline's duty manager for base maintenance at MSP. He's been involved with the program about four years. Donker said that Delta Air Lines partners with approximately 50 colleges nationwide. The MCTC program has an advantage because it's located on Delta property. "We get to meet and discuss the needs of Delta Airlines, and recruit the MCTC's cohorts," Donker said. "Delta supports MCTC with training aids. There have been a couple of semesters where I've actually gone and pulled the Structural Repair Manual (SRM) manuals from an Airbus 320 and showed the cohorts the repairs that they did for composites, and then sat down with them and did a hot bond repair with the cohorts from start to finish."