In a hangar east of Salt Lake City International Airport, at the Salt Lake Community College International Aerospace/Aviation Education Center, students spend 18 months learning dozens of skill sets that will qualify them to find jobs with an array of employers.
These students can reach new heights through SLCC’s Aviation Maintenance Program — a certified Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) program which has existed for 38 years. The certification allows students to be FAA-tested in-house, which is just one of the reasons graduates of the program are so employable.
“Our graduates are sought after. Anybody who wants a job can get one,” said Ken Spurlock, associate dean of Aviation, Transportation and Related Technologies. “Right now, it’s a very solid job market.”
“The field offers a wide range of job opportunities and a chance for anyone interested to advance. Eventually, a six-figure salary is possible and sometimes the opportunity for paid travel,” Spurlock continued.
Spurlock’s own experience illustrates how students can progress with more education, often in mechanical engineering. Spurlock entered the aviation field from a background in bus repair, later earning a bachelor’s and then a master’s degree in educational leadership.
Aviation graduates have an array of options when it comes to the job market.
“You can work in maintenance control; become a technical advisor to those in the field, a supervisor, or an inspector,” said Todd Baird, a professor and program coordinator for aviation maintenance.
Students may also find themselves working with the military, railroads, heavy equipment companies, helicopters, wind turbine power plants or even amusement parks.
SLCC student Tayler Chesley shared a couple of reasons why she chose the aviation maintenance program.
“I wanted a career that would allow me to travel without being a pilot or a flight attendant,” Chelsey said. “I also knew that … I’d be almost guaranteed to have a job.”
Spurlock discussed how that possibility of travel could become a reality.
“If a plane breaks down in France, the company might fly you there to repair it,” he explained.
Chesley is halfway through the program and already has career plans.
“Once I graduate, I’d like to work for a commercial airline, preferably in a shop, but likely on the line for a while,” she said. “Fighter jets have always been my favorite kind of aircraft, so eventually I’d like to work on Lockheed Martin F-22s or F-35s.”
With flexibility of the program or travel benefits among the reasons that students choose aviation, the beginning pay is another alluring aspect — $26 to $50 per hour. And while the pay can be a great incentive, the ideal aviation maintenance student is bright, driven, and detail oriented.
“They bring their A-game all the time,” Spurlock said. “They aren’t afraid to open up the manual.”
Aviation students come from many backgrounds, each with their own reason to be in the maintenance program. Some have served in the military, while others have in-depth mechanical experience or simply enjoy working on engines.
“I enjoy physical labor and feel accomplished and proud when I fix things mechanically, so I felt that this would be the most fitting job in aviation for me,” Chesley said.
Chesley expressed her appreciation for the program and how it is preparing her for the world of work. Students study theory while also getting hands-on experience in the labs.
“Our program is designed for working students,” Baird explained. “They are in class five hours a day, five days a week.”
Students can earn an associate degree in the five-semester program which runs year-round.
“It runs us through the basics of what we’ll be doing, and why it’s important,” Chesley said. “Once I enter the industry, I will be able to at least tread water as I begin my career, rather than drown in the newness and unfamiliarity that I will likely encounter.”
For more information on the program and enrolling, visit SLCC’s Aviation Maintenance page.
