Ivy Tech Community College Northeast unveiled a Sabreliner corporate jet this afternoon at a donor recognition event; “Ivy Tech Takes Flight”, held at the College’s Aviation Center at Smith Field. The jet will benefit students in the Aviation Maintenance program. Students will be able to train at levels that exceed industry standards and requirements; similar programs instead rely on mock-up equipment and text books.
The acquisition of the jet positions Ivy Tech to have the most sophisticated aviation maintenance program in the state, and the only airframe and powerplant school in northeast Indiana.
“Many newly licensed airframe and powerplant schools are seeking specialized training in the area of advanced avionics to enhance their employment opportunities,” says Mike Clouse, program chair for Aviation Maintenance Technology. “The complexity of the systems on the Sabreliner provides us with some of the necessary equipment to develop this new program and offer advanced training.”
The new concentration in avionics would add an additional semester of coursework and training after students have completed their associate degree and passed their Federal Aviation Administration testing. “Based on this acquisition, we could potentially see a 20-30 percent increase in overall enrollment” says Clouse. Currently, 91 students are enrolled in the College’s aviation program.
“Ivy Tech Northeast is committed to serving the needs of our local employers and their workforce demands,” says Ivy Tech Northeast Chancellor Jerrilee K. Mosier, Ed.D. “This donation helps position us in being a critical resource for the rapidly growing aerospace industry in the State of Indiana.”
At the event, the college cited a recent study by Boeing which predicts a 19 percent increase in demand to fill airframe and power mechanic positions over the next two decades.
“We could not be more thankful for our generous donors and the widespread community support,” says Oliver Barie, the college’s executive director of Resource Development. “The Sabreliner jet will change the lives of our students and help create a better Indiana, which is exactly what we aim to do at Ivy Tech Northeast.”
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