NORTH LITTLE ROCK Ark.
Several Arkansas community colleges are teaming up to increase aviation education in the state.
Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville and Pulaski Technical College in North Little Rock are members of the consortium that hopes to expand aviation programs, as interest in flying and fixing airplanes is on the rise.
“They’re hiring our students before they get out of school,” said Steve Hotle, who heads Pulaski Tech’s aviation program. “They don’t want to let them get away. They need people quicker than we can get them trained.”
Nine community colleges have formed a consortium to increase the state’s aviation offerings.
“We’re recognizing the emergence of the aerospace industry in the state,” said Edward Franklin, executive director of the Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges. “We’re looking at what we have and what we can do to meet the needs of the aerospace industry in Arkansas.”
The Federal Aviation Administration has certified 170 aviation maintenance programs throughout the country.
