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University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College awarded $2.5 million grant to establish Aerospace Center of Excellence

The University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College (UA-PTC) has been awarded a $2.5 million grant to establish an Aerospace Center of Excellence (ACE) in partnership with industry leaders Dassault Falcon Jet (DFJ), Arcturus Aerospace, Arkansas Aerospace Defense Alliance (AADA), as well as Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), North Little Rock School District, University of Arkansas Fayetteville, and Apprenticely (formerly Arkansas Center for Data Sciences).

The grant will allow UA-PTC to develop and expand training programs to address the critical need for skilled workers in Arkansas' aerospace industry. Recent plant expansions by Dassault Falcon Jet and at Arcturus Aerospace highlight the urgent need for trained professionals. Labor market projections indicate continued growth in the industry over the next five years.

The UA-PTC ACE will focus on regionally identified skills gaps in the aerospace industry, including avionics, aircraft maintenance, aircraft painting, machining, composites, programmable logic control (PLC), and industrial maintenance. The program will offer a combination of credit and non-credit training options to meet the needs of a diverse range of learners. Partnerships with industry leaders will provide valuable subject matter expertise, internship opportunities, and marketing support for the program.

The UA-PTC ACE program will consist of several key elements:

• Augmentation of Existing Programs: Existing credit programs for airframe and powerplant technicians and in advanced manufacturing will be enhanced with additional equipment and course sections to accommodate larger cohorts of students.
• Development of New Training: New short-term, non-credit training programs will be created in avionics, composites, jet painting, and sheet metal.
• Educational Pathways: The program will focus on creating employer-driven educational pathways for various participants, including high school students, incumbent workers, traditional for-credit students, and non-credit training learners.
• Measurable Objectives: The Alliance has established measurable objectives to track the program's success, including faculty recruitment, student enrollment, program completion rates, and industry job placement.

“We’ve invested considerable time and effort into ensuring that this project creates employer-driven educational pathways for multiple types of participants,” said UA-PTC Chancellor Summer DeProw. “Project leadership gathered information from industry leaders during site visits to Wichita State University National Institute for Aviation Research and UA-PTC’s aviation and manufacturing facilities. Additionally, training for a new avionics program should include the most modern equipment and technology, and curriculum that can be targeted toward those already in the industry with an Airframe and Powerplant license, as well as those who are new to the industry. Labor market information indicates significant growth in job opportunities for those with FAA and FCC avionics certifications over the next 10 years.”

Industry leaders express eagerness to hire qualified workers.

“There is a shortage of trained workers in the aerospace industry, and it is critical that we must train and develop a new generation of workers,” said Mark Bremer, Vice President, Industrial Programs, Dassault Falcon Jet and President, Arkansas Aerospace and Defense Alliance. “Our needs were heard by state leadership, and the Governor and her team have acted through the HIRED grants. The HIRED grants will provide the funds needed to develop the training curriculum, obtain high level instructors, and to purchase the high-tech training equipment needed to develop a strong aerospace workforce. UA-PTC leadership has also listened to us and has participated in group discussions with Arkansas Aerospace & Defense Alliance members and site tours both in and out of state to understand what is needed and what can be. Now UA-PTC and aerospace industry leaders must "do" by working together quickly to put in place aerospace training that is measurable, that will meet the workforce needs of both current and future aerospace companies, and that will provide life changing opportunities for Arkansans.”

The Alliance

UA-PTC and its partners developed a governance and accountability structure during the planning phase. The structure will include identified goals, objectives, and outcomes with deadlines, ways to modify the program if needed, evaluation, reporting, and regular governance meetings, both in-person and through Zoom.

The Alliance also expects to meet monthly as a full group and to establish subcommittees focusing on marketing, curriculum, aviation maintenance, avionics, programmable logic control, industrial maintenance, aircraft painting, sheet metal and composite training as needed. College representatives to the Alliance include Chancellor Dr. Summer L. DeProw, Dean of Technical and Professional Studies Dr. Angela Kremers, Executive Director of Technical Sciences Dr. Rick Barker; Technical Sciences Coordinator Bruce Thomas, Director of Aerospace Technology Vince Gemmiti, and UA-PTC Secondary Center Director Candice Jones. Other partners include Mark Bremer, Dassault Falcon Jet; Mark Greenwell, Arcturus Aerospace; Dr. Cheryl Murphy, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville Vice Provost, Global Campus; Dr. Han Hu, University of Arkansas Fayetteville, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Assistant Professor; Justin Majors, Arkansas Economic Development Commission; Greg Pilewski, North Little Rock School District; Bill Yoder, Apprenticely; and Chad Causey, Arkansas Aerospace Defense Alliance.

“Arcturus Aerospace is a contract manufacturer supporting military and commercial aviation primarily for CNC machined ‘safe for flight’ parts,’ said Arcturus Aerospace President/CEO Mark Greenwell. “The opportunity to travel to Wichita really established the benchmark for educational institutions operating at the highest level of training and education for the aerospace community. Arcturus is optimistic about the grant progress, as we believe we will benefit from a higher skilled pool of local candidates. Looking ahead, we are excited to partner with UA - Pulaski Tech to identify and close skill gaps by participating in their internship and apprenticeship training programs to give students real world experience.”

Overall Impact

The UA-PTC ACE program is expected to have a significant impact on the regional workforce by:

• Increasing the number of qualified applicants for aerospace jobs
• Upskilling the current workforce to meet industry demands
• Building a pipeline of future aerospace professionals
• Strengthening Arkansas' position as a leader in the aerospace industry

While the grant period is Jan. 1, 2025 through Dec. 31, 2026, UA-PTC is committed to the long-term sustainability of the program. After the initial two-year grant period, the steering committee will transition to a program advisory committee. Efforts will be made to shift faculty from provisional to permanent positions and offer continuing education opportunities for industry professionals.

This grant award is a testament to UA-PTC's commitment to providing high-quality workforce training and its dedication to partnering with industry leaders to meet the needs of the ever-evolving job market.