In an effort to establish a stream of highly qualified job applicants for the aviation maintenance workforce, Arkansas Northeastern College has partnered with Aviation Repair Technologies (ART) in Blytheville to provide an internship program for its aviation maintenance students. The desire is to provide incentive to students to complete the program and become certified aircraft maintenance technicians.
This relationship should mutually benefit both parties as well as the students served by fulfilling the needs of ART for a qualified entry level workforce and supporting ANC’s effort to build a viable Aviation Maintenance Program that will benefit residences of Northeast Arkansas.
Though in its initial planning phase, the desire is for ANC todevelop students for ART to interview for possible acceptanceas an ART intern who will also attend the ANC Aviation Maintenance program. ANC will establish a late afternoon cohort dedicated to (but not exclusively) ART interns. This cohort will meet four days a week for six hours each day. The total time from start to completion is estimated to be twenty-six months.
Because of the commitment on the part of the student, ART has agreed to provide interns with a minimum of 30 hours of paidwork per week with the opportunity to work additional hours, if required, during periods when there will be no classes. No hours are guaranteed by ART but it is hoped that a steady, weekly,workload can be maintained so the interns derive a steady flow of income while being full-time students.
Though ART will not cover the cost of tuition, fees and books, intern students will have the same funding options available to them as other ANC students. This includes federal financial aid and privately funded scholarships. To be retained in the Aviation Maintenance Program, interns must follow all policies and requirements of the ANC program. They must also maintain a2.5 grade point average.
The decision to hire full-time or remove students from the intern program rests solely with ART, but does not extend to the student’s status in the ANC program. ART will determine the number of interns it accepts each semester.
Registration for the Fall semester aviation maintenance courses is currently underway. For more information, contact the ACME Center at 870-762-2726.
