Aviation Machinist Pathway
Feb 11, 2015Rockingham Community College will offer an Aviation Machinist Pathway program of study to current high school students beginning fall semester 2015. A unique partnership between RCC, Rockingham County Schools, Junior Achievement, East Carolina University, HAECO Aviation, PEMMCO Manufacturing, and Machine Specialties, Inc. will provide the opportunity for students to participate in an educational pathway designed for careers in the aviation industry.
Students who enter the Aviation Machining Pathway have the potential to earn a high school diploma and a certificate from RCC by the end of their senior year in high school. Upon graduation, these students will be prepared to enter the workforce or to continue the program at RCC with the goal of earning an Associate in Applied Science – Computer Integrated Machining. Throughout the process, students will receive work-based learning experiences, career counseling, and will earn industry-recognized credentials.
“Ultimately, we want to get students in Rockingham County into high-wage, high-skill jobs that are in demand,” said RCC President Dr. Mark Kinlaw. Anytime local business and industry can partner with educational institutions to close the skills gap in our workforce, the county makes progress.”
Discussions with local business and industry, county officials, and Rockingham County Schools began this fall and the group soon learned that a pathway such as this would enhance our workforce.
RCC received an NCWorks Career Pathways grant totaling $70,000. Funding will be received over a two-year period and will assist the college with start-up costs for the program.
And the news just gets better. RCC’s graduates who earn a qualifying Associate in Applied Science degree will be accepted into East Carolina University’s Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology Transfer Program. Students in this program can take courses online or study on the ECU campus.
For more information on this or on other programs of study offered at Rockingham Community College, please check us out on the web at www.rockinghamcc.edu or call 336-342-4261.