Florida Technician Training Initiative Goes National

needed: aerospace engineers for a new century of aircraft

Cape Canaveral - Aug 11, 2003
Encouraged by their progress at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Florida academic and industry leaders are working with their peers in other states to form a national organization devoted to aerospace technician training.

Representatives from nine states will attend an August 13-14 inaugural meeting of the National Aerospace Technology Advisory Committee (NATAC) in Ohio to discuss standardized curricula and training for aerospace technicians.

"The aerospace industry is rightly concerned about its aging workforce and the lack of new workers entering the field," said Dr. Al Koller, executive director of SpaceTEC, a National Science Foundation-sponsored aerospace technician initiative based at Kennedy Space Center. "Community colleges in Florida and other states share this concern and are developing solutions to grow the industry's technician-level workforce."

NATAC's industry and government members will identify basic and specialized training requirements for aerospace technicians, allowing the development of curricula by SpaceTEC and its community college partners. Ultimately, an industry-adopted certification is envisioned for technicians who complete the NATAC-approved training regime.

SpaceTEC's recent successes in Florida have included the graduation of its first class of 12 technician trainees, nine of whom have entered the workforce at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport while others are pursuing engineering degrees.

SpaceTEC and Brevard Community College have also acquired dedicated access to launch pads and other facilities at the spaceport to support practice-based training activities. These activities include this month's launch of suborbital training/research missions aboard Super Loki rockets, conducted in cooperation with the Air Force, the University of Central Florida, and the Florida Space Authority.

For more information on NATAC and SpaceTEC contact Al Koller at 321-449-5001.

SPACEMART

Venture Capitalists Go To Sea As Navy Gears Up For New Century

Washington - Feb 06, 2003
Office of Naval Research's commercial technology transition officer brings venture capitalists to the fleet "We must transition the newest capabilities and technology rapidly to the Fleet, the Force, and the larger commercial world," says Susan L. Bales, ONR's Commercial Technology Transition Officer. "We're in the business of delivering Naval capability and driving down cost, and we want to partner with venture capitalists to get this done."