Northwest Aerospace News February | March 2018 Issue No. 1 | Page 50

The Glass Cockpit
and Today’s Avionics Training
Washington and Idaho community and technical colleges are
introducing rapid training for avionics and aviation technicians
to meet industry need.
By Mary Kaye Bredeson, executive director and Jennifer Ferrero,
APR, communications and marketing, for the Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing
Jennifer Ferrero
APR, Communications and Marketing
COE for Aerospace and Advanced
Manufacturing
www.coeaerospace.com
D
remond (Dre) Stidwell, an Atlanta native and current Everett Community College student, is
used to flying around the country for work and pleasure. But now, as an aviation student, he has a
better idea of the workings of the aircraft, “I have a very good idea of how the plane works; I can feel
more confident (when flying) because the FAA takes safety very seriously.”
Stidwell is a student in the Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) program at Everett. The AMT’s
are a high-demand area for commercial airlines, and according to Robert Prosch, associate dean of
aviation at Everett Community College, “679,000 AMTs (which includes avionics techs) are needed
worldwide; 118,000 are needed in North America.” He added that in Washington State, “We are the
largest aerospace region in the United States; as an extrapolation, a large part of these roles are need-
ed in Washington.”
Prosch is leading the academic charge for the state’s community and technical colleges with a
program called Advanced Avionics. The Center of Excellence f