Gulfstream asked and Savannah Technical College answered with a high-tech training center designed to provide the aviation industry with the kind of highly skilled workforce the business jet manufacturer needs.
The result is a win all around for the industry, the college and the community, Technical College System of Georgia Commissioner Ron Jackson said at Monday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“(Savannah Tech president) Kathy Love and her faculty and staff have worked closely with corporate leaders like Gulfstream to develop a model facility that will provide outstanding training for our students and place them in great careers in an industry that’s essential to Georgia’s future growth and economic development,” he said.
The nearly 30,000-square-foot facility at Savannah Tech’s Crossroads campus features a 5,000-square-foot hangar, labs and classrooms.
“This facility is a tangible reminder of the commitment we at Savannah Technical College have to this industry and this community,” Love said. “It’s an important part of our pledge to provide an assortment of programs tailored to meet the workforce needs of our region’s businesses and industries.”
Savannah Tech’s aviation division offers certificate and diploma programs in aircraft structures manufacturing and repair, luxury craft cabinetmaking and aircraft electrical equipment repair and installation. The college was recently approved to offer a technical certificate in aircraft upholstery trim, with classes starting spring semester.
Savannah Tech also is seeking approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to offer programs that will provide graduates with the knowledge and skill set needed to become certified as airframe and powerplant mechanics.
The new aviation training center will help the college meet the FAA Part 147 requirements that govern aviation mechanic schools, Love said.
“This is truly an exciting day for Gulfstream,” said Ira Berman, the jet manufacturer’s general counsel and senior vice president for administration.
“This is a great facility, one that’s soon to be turning out FAA-certified airframe and powerplant mechanics.”
Savannah Economic Development Authority President Trip Tollison praised the collaboration of “the greatest aerospace manufacturer in the world and the best technical college in the Southeast.”
“At SEDA, we market this marriage because it sells itself,” he said. “We’re always happy to be part of getting these two together.”
STC AVIATION TRAINING FACILITY: JUST THE FACTS
• The building is 29,152 square feet total, including a hangar, four training labs, five classrooms and a tarmac.
• The 5,000-square-foot hangar includes a hoist, paint booth and engine stands.
• Training labs include powerplant, airframe, aircraft structural, composite and electronics/avionics.
• The facility was designed by James W. Buckley and Associates, with construction by Pope Construction Co. of Statesboro.
• Training includes Aircraft Structural Technology diploma (52 credit hours over three to four semesters), Aircraft Assembly Technician certificate (12-13 credit hours over one semester) and Luxury Craft Cabinetmaking certificate (10 credit hours). Aircraft Upholstery and Trim certificate (14 credit hours) begins spring semester.
• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, aircraft structural technicians earn an average of $50,000 a year.