PC RECEIVES $680,000 PLUS AS PART OF AEROSPACE CONSORTIUM GRANT...

Peninsula College will receive more than $680,000 over the next three years from the U.S. Department of Labor and Education to expand training in Composites Technology focused on the Aerospace Industry as part of the Air Washington statewide consortium of employers and training partners.

The consortium is comprised of 14 colleges, two aerospace companies and an apprenticeship committee. The total consortium grant is $20 million. 

“This is great news for the State of Washington and great news for the peninsula,” says Peninsula College President Dr. Tom Keegan. “The college’s share of the grant will allow us to enhance our new composite training program and further support the growing composite industry right here on the Peninsula.”

Peninsula College will develop and deliver training in Composites Technology focused on the Aerospace Industry, including short-term training (five-to-eight weeks) to develop skills for entry-level workers, advanced Composites Technology certificate classes and an Advanced Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree. All three levels of training will be focused on local and regional business needs. The training and classes also will help students develop knowledge, skills and abilities that will be transferrable to other sectors of the composites industry cluster.

Other colleges in the consortium include Big Bend Community College, Skagit Valley College, Clover Park Technical College, South Seattle Community College, Edmonds Community College/Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center, Wenatchee Valley College, Everett Community College, North Seattle Community College, Olympic College, Renton Technical College Center and Spokane Community College as well as the Inland Northwest Aerospace Technology, Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee, Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Materials Manufacturing.

Spokane Community College is serving as lead agency for the grant via Air Washington, a statewide project that researches, designs, develops and implements education, training and other services to meet the state's growing aerospace demands in advanced manufacturing/machining, aircraft assembly, aircraft maintenance, composites and electronics.