An exciting new program at Olive-Harvey’s Transportation, Distribution & Logistics Center in Pullman, Illinois is connecting south-siders with in-demand jobs in the aviation maintenance industry.
Recent Grads Already Working
David Sanchez and Armand Dixon have always been interested in aviation but weren’t sure how to break into the industry. To help make it happen, both men recently completed the new Aviation Technician Program now offered at Olive-Harvey College on Chicago’s South Side. This industry-developed 10-week course provides graduates with an immediate opportunity for entry-level jobs in aviation or manufacturing by providing hands-on training with aircraft sheet metal. The program was developed for Olive-Harvey by AAR, a global aviation services company headquartered in Chicago, and graduates are guaranteed job interviews with the company. As a result, Sanchez and Dixon are both now working at AAR’s facility in Indianapolis, where the company does heavy maintenance on aircraft for major U.S. airlines.
First Step on Pathway to Career in Aviation
“I knew that graduating from the course was just the first step and then, by working at AAR, I could get the experience and funding needed to obtain my A&P [mechanic certification], which will allow me to get promoted and make more money each year,” said Sanchez.
He is getting on-the-job training and is slated to start aviation maintenance training school in the spring, with the help of AAR’s EAGLE Career Pathway program, which is available for students at technical schools and community colleges near the company’s five U.S. aircraft repair stations. With the on-the-job training and financial assistance provided by the EAGLE program, students can earn portable, stackable skills that will enable them to pursue the coveted position of a FAA-certified airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic. Once they get a few years of experience and their A&P ratings, they can even come back to Chicago to work for an airline.
The cost of the program at Olive-Harvey is $2,500, with funding options available, including a grant program designed to support Chicago’s far Southeast side residents called Project Evolve, which makes the aviation training tuition-free. Participant eligibility includes a high school diploma or GED, along with Chicago residency, and special consideration is given to African-American, unemployed and underemployed residents within Roseland, Avalon Park, Chatham, Pullman, Riverdale, South Chicago, South Deering and West Pullman. Tuition covers textbooks, a loaner toolkit for class use, and an initial drug screen.
Strong Demand for Aviation Mechanics
AAR started its EAGLE program at Olive-Harvey and other community colleges to help meet the strong demand for aircraft mechanics in North America. According to the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA), the technician shortage is costing the U.S. aviation maintenance industry an estimated $118 million per month ($1.421 billion per year) in lost economic opportunity, which impacts the entire aerospace community via delays in performing work and limits in capacity, utilimately impacting the global flying public.
This worker shortage was caused, in part, when high schools across the country moved away from vocational education to focus on college prep. And a lot of those currently working in the field will be retiring soon. Yet for those who are mechanically inclined, aviation maintenance provides a good-paying career that does not require a college education.
AAR CEO John Holmes leads the charge, “AAR is actively working with schools to raise awareness of these job opportunities and the programs that can get workers into the pipeline faster. We’re thrilled to be working in our hometown with Olive-Harvey and have already seen great results after just the first few cohorts.”
The current class of trainees from Olive Harvey visit AAR Airframe Rockford, photo courtesy AAR.
Tied to Planned Growth in Chicago’s Economy
Local education and training connected to the growing aviation industry for workers in high-need communities delivers a critical link to equitable job creation. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has targeted transportation, distribution and logistics (TDL) as a growth cluster for Chicago, as part of her 10-year strategy to remake the city’s economy in a way that includes its disadvantaged communities. The Olive-Harvey College aviation tech program is a good start of that propulsion effort.
