I have my grandfather, Army Air Service World War I, to thank for my fascination with aviation. He was the first aircraft mechanic in my family, and one of the first anywhere, as aviation had just begun. He hand-carved a model of his favorite biplane, the Sopwith Camel, for me and told stories of how he used to keep them flying in the Great War.

In the six decades that I have experienced, I have never seen such a demand for aircraft technicians. The shortage was predicted a few years ago, and Congress initiated a workforce grant to address the problem. LLCC received one of these Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants in the amount of $500,000. We are using these funds to help students with the cost of our aviation mechanics program, including free tools and books worth $4,800, tuition discounts and paid testing fees.

Lately, any employer who hires aircraft mechanics is looking for more. Starting wages have, in some cases, doubled in the last five years. Sign-on bonuses are being offered, and we have a continuous stream of recruiters asking us if they can talk to our students. Major airlines, manufacturers, maintenance repair organizations and fixed-base operators have either come to talk to us personally or sent help-wanted flyers for us to post.

The grant aims to increase the number of individuals with airframe and powerplant (A&P) FAA credentials. Other goals are to diversify student enrollments and upgrade program equipment and technology.

Students entering the program this fall are eligible for up to 75% of tuition paid for the first two terms of the program, with an emphasis on recruiting women and students of color. Additional financial aid assistance is available for those who qualify.

This grant provides a great opportunity, and we invite anyone interested to attend an open house. Open houses will be held from 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays, June 27 and July 11, at LLCC’s Levi, Ray and Shoup, Inc. Aviation Center at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield. Register for an open house by clicking the RSVP button at www.llcc.edu/aviation.

At the open houses, we’ll talk about careers in the field and demonstrate the daily work of aircraft mechanics such as a sheet metal project, building a wiring harness, removing and replacing a piston engine cylinder and starting a jet engine.

In 18 months, our students complete 34 subject areas and are ready to take their FAA certification testing. In many cases, they have jobs lined up before they graduate with some already working for area maintenance hangars while still in school.

I consider most of our graduates to be success stories, but I often think of one young woman who set her sights on running her own business. She is now doing that and has hired one of our students to work in her operation.

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more, attend one of our open houses or call us at 217-544-4965. We’ll be glad to give you a tour and talk to you about our training program and how the grant can reduce the cost. Learn more on at www.llcc.edu/aviation.