HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – The first round of graduating students from the inaugural Aviation Maintenance Technology program are signing off into the workforce.
The students signed employment agreements with aerospace corporation Embraer.
“To have the opportunity to work one-on-one with these young people and to see them grow and really flourish over the last 18 months, there’s nothing that compares to that,” Monica Newman McCluney, head of U.S. corporate social responsibility and the Embraer foundation, said.”
In 2022, Marshall University and Mountwest Community and Technical College announced their joint adventure with their Aviation Maintenance Technology Program held at Tri-State Airport near Huntington.
“Students in this program do all kinds of things that normal trade schools don’t do. We do engines, we do hydraulic systems, we do electrical systems. Multiple certifications across an array of different skills,” said James Smith, director of the program.
The students are equipped with hands-on experience to grow their skills to industry level standards.
“My position will be a line maintenance technician down at Embraer in Nashville. That is the third largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, they are up and coming. I will be doing heavy checks, I will be doing inspections and everything like that,” Devin LeMaster said.
The graduating students will be working at facilities in Florida and Tennessee.
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