Policymakers, workforce and community groups rally to help close skills gaps delaying hiring

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – Vincennes University, along with aviation industry partner AAR (NYSE: AIR), hosted an outreach event and facility tour to rally support among policymakers, community leaders and workforce organizations to promote careers in aviation, education and help close the skills gaps creating hiring challenges at companies that maintain and repair airplanes.

Vincennes’ Aviation Technology Center and AAR’s Indianapolis Maintenance Center, both located at the Indianapolis International Airport, hosted representatives from state and congressional offices, officials from Plainfield and Hendricks County labor departments, career centers, not-for-profits and veterans groups.

As the nation struggles with high unemployment, aircraft mechanic, engineering and avionics positions are difficult to fill at a time when the aviation industry is experiencing resurgence due to new aircraft manufacturing and increased demand for parts and services. Previous outreach events at Vincennes have focused on students and educators, but Thursday’s event is intended to leverage support for public-private partnerships to build a pipeline of talent and connect young people, veterans and displaced workers with middle-income earning careers in aviation.

“The goal is to partner more collaboratively with policymakers and organizations that want to connect people with jobs but know very little about careers in aviation, an industry that exists largely out of the public view,” said Mike Gehrich, Director of Training, Vincennes Aviation Technology Center. “We want participants to walk away from the tour with a sense of the career opportunities available so they will be willing to direct resources toward improving access to these highly specialized jobs.”

The aircraft maintenance facility tour is an extension of AAR’s Taking Flight program, a nationwide education initiative created to introduce aviation careers to youth as early as middle school. On Thursday, adult participants will board a 737 aircraft at Vincennes that will be towed to AAR’s facility, where they will see aircraft maintenance operations first-hand and gain a deeper understanding of this exciting industry.

“AAR is taking a proactive role to educate and attract people with the right skills and qualifications. This is a nationwide challenge that is not unique to AAR or aerospace, but cuts across industries that require specialized skills and certifications,” said C. Rayner Hutchinson III, Vice President Quality & Safety at AAR. “We’re taking an active role in the communities where we operate nationwide to build partnerships to fill open positions and provide jobs, now and into the future.”

About Vincennes University’s Aviation Technology Center

The ATC is a 90,000-square-foot facility that provides state-of-the-art aviation training programs for airframe and power plant mechanic and airframe sheet metal technician careers requiring FAA certification for both Vincennes and Purdue Universities.

Contacts:

Vincennes: Joseph M. Lee, W (317) 381-6040 | C 317-627-2828 | jmlee@vinu.edu.