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A Washington state training initiative that aims to sustain and enhance aerospace manufacturing skills has launched an apprenticeship program here, which it plans to expand, says the Spokane Valley-based Eastern Washington program coordinator. The Aerospace Training Initiative, led by the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee, combines on-the-job training with supplemental instruction to pass along advanced manufacturing skills, which are said to be at risk of being lost as the population ages and skilled workers retire.
Here, seven aerospace-machinist apprentices are completing their first year of a four-year training and education program developed by the AJAC program, says. Kevin Quinn, program coordinator at AJAC's Eastern Washington office, at 2110 N. Fancher.
More than a dozen Spokane-area businesses have signed up for the program. Those companies include Proto Technologies Inc., Haskins Steel Co., Eastside Electric Motors LLC, Jetseal Inc., K&N Electric Motors Inc., L&M Precision Fabrication Inc., Multifab Inc., Newmax Inc., Rocky Mountain Machining LLC., Romney Motion Inc., and Spokane Airways Inc.
Some of the companies currently have people in the program, and the rest will enter candidates in it as they're ready to train them, Quinn says.
AJAC plans to start a similar program here as soon as next year to train apprentices in aircraft mechanics, he says.
Unlike other training programs, enrollees in AJAC's apprenticeship programs have to be employed full time.
"We try to assemble a prescreened, prequalified group of people," Quinn says. "We work with businesses to encourage them to let employees participate in the program."
The nonprofit,...