Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

More qualified aerospace workers on the ‘Horizon’ through new PCC partnership

Photos and Story by James Hill

According to a report by Boeing, in the next two decades the aviation industry will face a dire shortage of skilled workers to maintain the North American fleet as demand for aviation technicians will be estimated to be at roughly 192,000 and pilots at approximately 208,000. Nationwide, that’s a huge hole to fill.

In Oregon, Portland Community College is leading the way on several aviation training fronts. In 2020, the college partnered with the Hillsboro School District and other key partners to create the dual-credit Oregon Aerospace Careers for Everyone (O-ACE) Program for high school students interested in careers as aviation maintenance technicians, avionics technicians or professional pilots.

This academic year, PCC’s Aviation Maintenance Technology Program (AMT) entered into a partnership with Horizon Air Industries called the Horizon Technician Development Program. The new effort provides students with industry-relevant training and employment opportunities. And, in turn, provides Horizon with a source of highly qualified applicants for their aircraft mechanic positions.

“The partnership between PCC and Horizon Air is extremely significant,” said Tom Laxson, AMT faculty chair. “Horizon’s influence and expertise elevates our entire program. The fact of the matter is that the technology and equipment of commercial aviation is financially exclusive. The importance of this relationship cannot be overstated.”

This year, the partnership had its first cohort of six students begin at PCC. The Horizon program focuses on student recruitment and scholarship opportunities (up to $12,200 per student) for enrolled PCC students to offset the costs of earning the two-year AMT degree. In addition to student learning, the partnership allows the college’s faculty to access Horizon’s technical training. Horizon also routinely donates used equipment and tooling to the PCC program.

“Our relationship with PCC is critical to our Horizon and Alaska Maintenance Operations as it is a valuable pipeline for our operations,” said Archie Vega, director of maintenance and planning with Horizon Air/M&E Division. “We have worked very closely with PCC in the past, and I have personally been involved with our relationship building over the past five years to assure PCC is supported by industry. With our commitments and our development programs with PCC, it assures us a positive pipeline of local talented mechanics going into the future to ensure both Horizon and Alaska can meet our maintenance program’s FAA requirements.”

As shown by Boeing’s report, this union comes at a time when the aviation industry is in significant demand for new certificated airframe and powerplant mechanics. PCC’s program provides students with the required experience and education to qualify to sit for the federal certification exams. PCC, and schools like it in the country, are the primary means by which the aviation industry gains new workers.  

“It’s exceptionally vital that we continue to matriculate new technicians, and through the partnership with Horizon, we can continue to lead nationally, as has been the case for some time,” Laxson added.

Al Coleman, 31, is one of the six students in the first-ever cohort. The Indiana native’s interest in aviation was sparked as a youth after his first flight on a commercial aircraft. In his previous career, Coleman spent all day on a computer in an office and felt the need to switch things up and work with his hands. He said the opportunity at PCC and with Horizon was a perfect match.

“Horizon Air has been my top choice for a potential future employer since I began the AMT program at PCC,” Coleman said. “I am looking for a place where I can grow and thrive, and everything I have learned about Horizon suggests that is exactly what I will do. It was also important to me that my job would have a serious component, or give me a sense of accomplishment and respectability.

“Aviation maintenance fits the bill and is at the forefront of providing safety where it can matter most,” he continued. “Oh, and it’s really cool.”

For more information, call 971-722-7256, or visit https://www.pcc.edu/programs/aviation-maintenance/