Calhoun Community College and Lockheed Martin partner to fulfill aerospace employment gap
HUNTSVILLE – Calhoun Community College and Lockheed Martin have announced their plans Thursday to partner together and provide training to future pre-apprentice aerospace electrical assembly technicians.
“The gap between open pre-apprentice aerospace jobs and trained technicians has become a growing trend in this industry,” commented Houston Blackwood, Calhoun’s Director of Workforce Solutions. “My job at Calhoun is to help industry partners to close that gap by providing them with training solutions to their internal problems, and creating opportunities to train individuals to enter the workforce and fill those positions,” added Blackwood.
Calhoun’s non-credit division, Workforce Solutions, met with representatives from Lockheed Martin to further discuss this problem and provided a cost-effective solution with a pre-apprentice training program. The 2-month hands-on training program provides individuals with the following training:
- Introduction to Blueprints and Schematic Drawings
- Basic math
- Wire harness assembly
- Electrical Fundamentals
- Torque
“I believe in these types of programs and know first-hand how they can change people’s lives and incomes,” commented Keith Davis, Calhoun Aerospace Instructor. “In my previous career, I worked for an international aerospace company and learned all of the things we are teaching in this program. Not only did I continue to grow with the company to learn more about my field, but they also provided me with financial assistance to complete my college degree. Many companies in this field do the same to retain their employees as well as provide growth opportunities for them,” Davis also added.
Individuals who complete this training will also earn an IPC 620 certification, OSHA 10 certification, J-Standard Module 1 certification, and will be guaranteed an employment interview with Lockheed Martin. “Training classes of this magnitude that include the certifications typically cost in the $1,200 range,” said Davis. “Calhoun is strategic in offering high-quality, cost-effective courses in a shorter period to get individuals trained as quickly as possible to fill those open positions across the industry”, added Davis.
Students completing this course are eligible for credit articulation towards an Associate’s Degree in Calhoun’s Aerospace Technologies programs. Calhoun’s Pre-Apprentice Aerospace Electrical Assembly Technician course is also approved by the Alabama Office of Apprenticeships and transfers directly to Lockheed Martin’s Apprenticeship program.
Classes will begin January 6, 2022, and continue through February 25, 2022, on Thursdays and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Calhoun’s Decatur campus. The cost to attend is $195.
To learn more about this training and other programs through Calhoun’s Workforce Solutions Department, visit www.calhoun.edu/workforcesolutions. For additional questions, please contact Jennifer Geiger, CWS Project Manager, at 256-306-2584.
