Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Friday announced that Enterprise State Community College would get a $2.5 million grant to expand the Alabama Aviation College in Ozark.
The money will fund renovation of existing facilities and the purchase of new equipment that will allow the college to offer an advanced composite program. Funds may also be used for other workforce development projects by the facility.
Aircraft manufacturers are increasingly using composite materials in their aircraft. Adding a composites program will help the college stay relevant to the continued development of the industry.
“Repairing composites differs a great deal from repairing metal, so we need to change our approach and add more focus on composite repair,” said Matt Rodgers, ESCC president. “A student in our program will have the advantage of learning from the first step of manufacturing through repair and inspection so that they will be confident and capable of manufacturing and maintaining these parts.”
Ivey said the grant represents an important investment in preparing Alabamians for the jobs of tomorrow.
Read more…[Dothan Eagle]