Tucson schools fill need for aerospace engineers, techs
Photos by Max Becherer / Staff
Tony Guglielmino Sr.'s Pima Community College students did this aircraft's custom interior. Guglielmino has been at Pima since its aviation program began 31 years ago.
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By Alan D. Fischer
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Tucson is a big supplier of much-needed aerospace engineers and technicians. The University of Arizona's College of Engineering turns out 400 undergraduate and 100 to 200 master's and doctoral degree holders per year, many of whom are trained in such industry-related fields as aerospace, mechanical and electrical engineering. Pima Community College's Aviation Technology Center each year graduates more than 200 workers ready for jobs in aircraft interior installation and structural repairs. Local high schools teach teens industry skills in areas like aircraft structural repair and flying. Those workers find jobs in Tucson and around the nation. Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems, the area's largest private employer, fills many engineering and technical positions with local graduates, said Craig Shelton, vice president of engineering. Raytheon spokeswoman Sara Hammond said the company hired 123 UA engineering graduates - more than from any other school - from fall 1998 to spring 1999. More recent numbers were not available. UA aerospace engineering grads can expect to start at $40,000 to $45,000 per year here, said Thomas W. Peterson, dean of the UA College of Engineering and Mines. Demand for engineers remains strong despite the economy's recent "high-tech blip," Peterson said. Major players like Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Bombardier Aerospace, along with firms that do industry-related work such as Honeywell, keep the need high. "We have more employment opportunities than we have students to fill, and that's a nationwide problem," Peterson said. "We do see enrollments increasing, but nowhere near as fast as the opportunities in engineering in terms of jobs." The UA encourages high school, middle school and even elementary school students to pursue engineering careers, he said. Continuing education needed The need for education programs doesn't end when students enter the work force. Rapidly changing technology requires continuing education to keep workers up to date. Professionals can take advantage of the Tri-university Masters of Engineering Program offered by the UA, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University. Industry advisory councils help steer the UA's engineering curriculum, research efforts and mission statement. "Those kinds of partnerships are really critical," Peterson said. "We're in the business of educating people for a profession. If we don't meet the needs of industry we're not doing our job, so you have to have that relationship." Recent changes include increased focus on optical communications techniques and biomedical applications, he said. Program chief recognized need Tony Guglielmino Sr. was on board when Pima's aviation program launched 31 years ago. The project executive recognized early the need for qualified aerospace workers, and the community college's role in training them. "We are very closely linked with the industry," he said. "If they need something, it is Pima's responsibility to provide that service to them as the community's college." An example is Pima's 3-year-old aircraft interior-installation training program, which started after Bombardier Aerospace approached the school with a request for qualified technicians.
Photos by Max Becherer / Staff
Michael Piccini, a student in Pima's Aviation Structural Repair Program, pores over blueprints of a mock aircraft during an eight-hour exam at Pima's Aviation Technology Center.
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"The entire curriculum was developed in 18 days - we just banged it out," said Guglielmino, director of Pima's Aviation Technology Department. "We sat across the table from industry officials and worked out what they needed." John Grabo, interim president of the Greater Tucson Economic Council, praised the effort: "That program is really what has helped Bombardier ramp up their work force, and it has given a lot of Tucsonans high-paying jobs." Pima's 11-year-old aircraft structural-repair program also developed from an industry request, Guglielmino said. Over the years that program offered needed workers to local companies including Lockheed, Bombardier, Hamilton Aviation, Evergreen Aviation and Complete Controls, he said. "But once word got out, we had a number of companies in Phoenix, and all over the United States, recruiting these students," he said. "We're in the middle of that now, setting up appointments with companies so they can fly in here and make presentations and interview students. "In our program, it's not whether you get a job, it's what job offer you take - it's 100 percent placement." Industry support essential Without the financial, technical and advisory support of aerospace companies, the program would not be so successful in filling the industry's need for workers, Guglielmino said. "Pima is good at developing programs, but it is difficult for us to match the technology of the industry when funds are limited. You have to have the buy-in by the industry and work with them," he said. Pima's interior-installation program runs 16 weeks, with students working eight hours a day, five days a week, he said. The structural-repair program lasts nine months, with five-day weeks of eight-hour days, he said. Program graduates are ready for entry-level positions, he said, and some continue their education while they work. Interior installers can expect to earn between $11 and $13 an hour locally. Structural-repair program graduates can expect hourly starting pay ranging from $13.50 to $15 in Tucson, or from $18 to $23 in larger markets like Phoenix. He said the fee for the interior-installation program is about $1,000, and the structural repair program costs about $2,800. Financial aid is available for qualified students. Job Path, a community program, can also help by offering money for tuition that is either repaid at graduation or the debt is erased by doing community service. The average program participant is 35 years old and working on his or her second or third career. There is no minimum age, but a high school diploma or GED is required. The oldest student was 72 when he took the structural-repair program. "He now volunteers for the Pima Air and Space Museum," Guglielmino said. Pima also offers a flight program in conjunction with Cochise College. Pima offers the ground school training and Cochise provides the flight training at Tucson International Airport, he said. Pima's aviation program will move this summer from its current "bursting at the seams" facility in an industrial park near East 22nd Street and South Pantano Road to a new 34,000-square-foot hanger at Tucson International Airport, he said. More space will mean expanded programs, including an avionics program covering aircraft electronics and computer systems, he said. * Contact Star Business reporter Alan D. Fischer at 573-4175 or afischer@azstarnet.com.
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