Our Blog
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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…
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MFG Week Tour Video
The Association of Washington Business’ (AWB) annual MFG Week Bus Tour was created to raise awareness of the role manufacturing plays in Washington state and to show the successful growth of our state’s manufacturing sector. For the most recent MFG Week, AWB Institute invited local students to visit manufacturers to help dispel the myths surrounding…
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Center of Excellence Supports Successful EmPower Women’s Leadership Conference
Hosted in person for the first time since 2019, the EmPower Women’s Leadership Conference brought together women and men in the trades for a day of inspiration, reflection, and celebration. Keynote speaker Dr. Barbara Jackson, an expert in cultural transformation and collaboration, led off the day. “I believe that women participating and leading the industry…
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Introducing The Counselor’s Guide To Apprenticeship
Today we are pleased to present the Counselor’s Guide to Apprenticeship. We thank the Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center for the recent invitation to present at the Washington School Counselors Association, spurring the creation of the guide. As apprenticeships in aerospace and advanced manufacturing grow, the Counselor’s Guide to Apprenticeship brings the basics of apprenticeship to…
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Everett Community College Hosts Girls In Aviation Day
Bringing together guest speakers and hands-on activities, Everett Community College hosted Girls in Aviation Day this past Saturday, the college’s first since 2019. Center of Excellence staff were pleased to support the event. The day kicked off with Rachel Camarillo, CFO and Executive Vice President of Erin Air, Inc., asking 15 girls from across Snohomish…
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Presenting to the Washington School Counselors Association
On Thursday, March 2nd Center of Excellence Executive Director Jason Petrait joined Advisory Chair Wes Allen, Director of the Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center, to present to school counselors on apprenticeship. Titled Understanding Apprenticeship to Advise Students for Their Future Goals, the pair talked through the basics of apprenticeship, the benefits of entering apprentices and the…
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Updates on Washington’s 2023 Legislative Session
With last Thursday marking the halfway point of the 2023 Washington State Legislature, it’s time to review some of what the legislature has accomplished so far and where bills of interest to the Center of Excellence stand: SB 5721 Authorizing a business and occupation tax credit to incentivize private sector investment in advanced aerospace manufacturing…