Our Blog
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COE Survey: Manufacturers, Hiring and Drug Testing
With drug laws changing across the country, Center of Excellence staff surveyed the current state of hiring language regarding drug use, reviewing job listings from 50 Washington employers. We found that of the 50 employers surveyed, 15 included explicit language regarding drug-free workplaces and drug testing. Others may drug test but not state that in…
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AMTEC Staff Host Manufacturing Day
Staff at AMTEC, Everett Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Training & Education Center, opened their doors today to high school students across the area to tour manufacturing programs, meet employers, and enjoy a complimentary lunch sponsored by Impact Washington. Students from Everett School District, pictured, were the first to tour the site, seeing classrooms and labs…
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COE Interview: Justin Ellixson-Andrews, Executive Director of the National Gay Pilots Association
Last week Center of Excellence Executive Director Jason Petrait had the pleasure of sitting down with Justin Ellixson-Andrews, Executive Director of the National Gay Pilots Association. Justin and Jason talked through what the NGPA does, what Justin’s goals are in his new role, and why advocacy matters now more than ever. Read on: Jason Petrait:…
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Expanding Supplier Diversity in Aerospace Conference
Presented by PNDC and AFA, the day highlighted Boeing’s commitment to expanded supplier diversity and working with their supply chain. “It’s hard to turn a production system off,” said conference keynote speaker Teresa Olympio, VP of Boeing Commercial Aviation Supply Chain Readiness. “It’s even harder to turn it back on.” Olympio kicked off today’s Expanding…
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A Closer Look at SB 5269
Senate Bill 5269, an act meant to transform and grow Washington state manufacturing, went before the House Committee on Appropriations last Tuesday and passed in the House this past Thursday. With the bill headed to the Governor’s desk for signature, it is due for a deeper look. The bill directs Washington’s Department of Commerce to…
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What We’re Reading
Sustainable Aviation Fuel facility planned for Snohomish County The proposed Paine Field facility would be a repository for sustainable aviation fuel samples from around the world, allowing researchers to store, share and test them. ‘Redmond Space District’ celebrates the Northwest’s hotspot for satellite industry “We want to make sure that we have that flag in…
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ATEC Chicago In Pictures
About to turn over Lake Michigan, on approach into ORD Engine donation from American Airlines Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion breakout session AIM administrators and students sharing on the challenges and opportunities of opening a facility on the south side of Chicago
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ATEC Day 2 Spotlight: A&P Plus Programs
Stephen Ley of Utah Valley University led off his day two ATEC breakout session with a provocative question: Why aren’t we adding additional ratings onto A&P certificates? He followed up with another question part 147 administrators need to be thinking about: What can we add on to A&P certificates make technicians more employable? Ley and…
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ATEC Day 1 Highlights
The 2023 edition of ATEC’s annual conference kicked off in full with a day of keynotes, conference sessions, and awards. Hosted at Chicago’s Aviation Institute of Maintenance, nearly 300 attendees and 30+ exhibitors heard from experts on the maintenance outlook from carriers, what recruiters are looking for and more on ATEC’s recent initiatives. The highlight…
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ATEC Annual Conference 2023 Kicks Off With Board, Committee Meetings
Sunday marked the kickoff of the Aircraft Technician Education Council’s annual conference, with ATEC’s board and committee meeting throughout the day at Chicago’s Hyatt Centric. Executive Director Jason Petrait joined the Legislative Committee, where the group reviewed priorities ahead of ATEC’s annual D.C. Fly-In. One priority of the committee is to expand the FAA’s workforce…
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Three Aviation Bills Still Moving Forward In The Washington State Legislature
As Washington’s legislature moves into the final month of the 2023 session, the Center of Excellence continues to track bills related to aerospace, manufacturing, aviation, workforce, and higher education. Among the bills still moving forward related to aviation: Yesterday the Senate completed its first reading of HB 1318, concerning retail sales tax exemptions for some…
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Visiting the Future of Flight
As an opportunity to learn more about an essential partner and take in an activity near the office, earlier today Center of Excellence staff visited Boeing Future of Flight. Featuring an exhibit on the legacy of Rosie the Riveter, a Kids’ Zone, a place to fly drones, and other interactive exhibits, The Future of Flight…