FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gov. Matt Bevin today joined Congressman Hal Rogers and Congressman Andy Barr, along with officials from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS), and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), to promote EKU's new Kentucky Appalachia Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Training Project.
Accompanied by state and local officials and community leaders, the group held four fly-in press conferences — at Central Kentucky Regional Airport (Richmond), London-Corbin Airport (London), Wendell H. Ford Regional Airport (Chavies), and Big Sandy Regional Airport (Debord) — to discuss this exciting workforce training initiative that will enhance economic development in Eastern Kentucky and across the Commonwealth.
“Kentucky’s aerospace industry is soaring to new heights, and this innovative program is poised to provide additional fuel to propel our growth,” said Gov. Bevin. “The Kentucky Appalachia AMT Training Project represents a unique collaboration between EKU, KCTCS, and our regional airports, and we are grateful for ARC’s significant investment supported by Congressman Rogers and Congressman Barr. This cutting-edge workforce training program will provide strong economic opportunity for citizens of Eastern Kentucky and will further solidify the Commonwealth’s position as the center of engineering and manufacturing excellence in America.”
The Kentucky Appalachia AMT Training Project will provide individuals displaced by the downturn in the coal industry, as well as veterans and others seeking employment, in the Commonwealth's ARC counties the opportunity to earn an industry recognized certification as aviation maintenance technicians.
These Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certifications will result in several significant statewide impacts, including:
“Regional airport directors tell us that aviation mechanics are currently overbooked and are turning away airplane maintenance work, so this program will boost our workforce and allow us to keep those opportunities in Kentucky’s Appalachian region,” said Congressman Rogers. “I applaud EKU and the ARC for realizing the impact that this program can have on economic development in Eastern Kentucky and the value that these mechanics will add for safety and efficiency at our rural airports.”
“Through the Kentucky Appalachia AMT Training Project, EKU has demonstrated a commitment to providing unique training opportunities not only in its service region, but across the Commonwealth,” said Congressman Barr. “I applaud EKU for their work to secure this important funding for our region, and for furthering their mission to improve the quality of life for the communities they serve. Additionally, I'd like to thank the ARC for providing funding for innovative projects like this one.”
EKU's Appalachia AMT Training Project was recently awarded a $1.46 million ARC Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) grant. Enrollment for the 18-month program will begin soon, with instruction set to start in January 2020. Students will receive classroom instruction at EKU or KCTCS campuses, in addition to hands-on training at the four participating regional airports.
“We are thrilled to launch a program that will help Kentucky’s workforce with a highly sought skill that is relevant to our region’s economic and industrial growth, most notably the region’s emerging aerospace industry cluster,” said EKU President Michael Benson. “This FAA certified program will be strategically located within Kentucky’s Appalachian counties so those who need to train can become certified aviation mechanics without having to leave their communities.”
Among the officials also participating in today's events were ARC Federal Co-Chair Tim Thomas, Kentucky Department for Local Government (DLG) Commissioner Sandy Dunahoo, Kentucky Aviation Commissioner Todd Bloch, Hazard Community & Technical College President Jennifer Lindon, and Big Sandy Community & Technical College President Sherry Zylka.
In April 2017, Braidy Industries announced a $1.3 billion aluminum rolling mill to be located in Ashland, Kentucky. Braidy’s 2.5 million-square-foot mill is expected to employ 550 permanent workers and 1,000 temporary workers during construction.
Braidy seeks to become the nation’s leading producer of affordable, high quality body sheet aluminum, plate and ultra-high strength alloys for the aerospace industry.
Why did Braidy Industries select Appalachia to build its new facility? Here are the top five reasons for their investment in eastern Kentucky.
A comprehensive regional workforce analysis of the Kentucky region shows that coal miners, many of whom have lost their jobs due to recent mine closings, have the metal-working skills that companies like Braidy Industries requires. The study concluded that there were eight times the national average of skilled metal workers in the region, making eastern Kentucky a great workforce resource for the aerospace industry.
Braidy Chairman and CEO Craig Bouchard stated publicly that passage of right-to-work legislation was a key deciding factor in locating the company in the commonwealth. Kentucky joins 27 other states with its new right-to-work law, passed during the first week of the 2017 General Assembly and immediately signed into law by Gov. Matt Bevin.
Businesses in right-to-work states have higher profits and create more jobs compared to states without this type of legislation, and it will make the region more attractive for additional business investment.
Bouchard credited Kentucky Power and AEP in helping the company choose the Kentucky site for its mill.
“We have negotiated an efficient package with Kentucky Power and AEP because they wanted us in eastern Kentucky,” Bouchard said. “I believe we have the lowest energy cost of any rolling mill producing aluminum in the United States. The competitive advantage of that is spectacular.”
Along with our economic development partners, AEP is aggressively working to create a hub for the aerospace industry through our “Appalachian Sky” initiative and AeroReady Certification. Additionally, independent consultants from Common Sense Economic Development and Tuscon Atlantic Consulting have certified 17 counties in the Tri-State Appalachia region of Kentucky (Kentucky Power), Ohio (AEP Ohio) and West Virginia (Appalachian Power Company) are AeroReady, which provides businesses with the confidence that the region has the assets needed for aerospace to thrive in the area.
A strong relationship between business and government helps everyone succeed in Kentucky. A collaborative environment where private businesses can work with the government to achieve sustainable development is a keystone of building your business in this region.
“Our team recognizes an opportunity to make incredible impacts both in the global aluminum industry and in bringing well-paying jobs to Eastern Kentucky in the heart of Appalachia,” Bouchard said. “The state’s willingness to partner closely with private industry makes this a prime location to found and grow our world-class and cutting-edge rolling mill.”
Braidy Industries represents one of many important partnerships Kentucky Power has formed to bring jobs and investment to our communities, and it’s an exciting beginning to our long-term strategy to establish central Appalachia as a preferred region for the aerospace industry. Our recruiting efforts continue at Paris Air Show this week.
Read the original article at: https://aeped.com/news-resources/5-reasons-braidy-industries-selected-eastern-kentucky/
Through AEP’s Economic & Business Development (E&BD) efforts, we are building stronger partnerships with our local communities to help revitalize some of the hardest hit communities from the changes in the coal industry. Three states in the heart of Appalachia have been particularly impacted. Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia experienced job losses, the loss of tax revenue to support local public services, and the loss of indirect economic benefits of having a locally employed workforce. In response, AEP’s E&BD team established targeted efforts to revitalize those communities by attracting new industry and jobs, and empowering them to take the lead in rebuilding their communities.
In addition to serving customers and maintaining operations in Appalachia, we live and work in these communities. It is important to us that these communities recover and thrive because their strength and growth is also good for AEP.
In 2017, AEP and our regional economic development partners launched Appalachian Sky – an initiative that began in AEP’s Kentucky territory and grew to encompass AEP territories in the Tri-State region (eastern Kentucky, southwestern Ohio, and western West Virginia). The initiative’s purpose is to aggressively attract aerospace and aviation industry to AEP’s central Appalachia service region. Appalachian Sky was inspired by the intelligence and work ethic of the coal mining and steel working communities as captured in the movie “October Sky” and chronicled in the memoir “Rocket Boys” by West Virginia native Homer Hickam.
The genius of Appalachian Sky was sparked by the completion of a comprehensive regional workforce analysis in AEP’s Kentucky territory. The research showed that coal miners, many of whom have lost their jobs due to recent mine closings, have the skills that aerospace and advanced manufacturing companies need. The study, which was funded in part with Kentucky Power economic development grants, concluded that the region had eight times the national average of skilled metal workers - recognizing the potential of the aerospace industry to diversify the central Appalachian economy.
AEP then commissioned a leading aerospace consultancy to determine the viability of aerospace in Appalachia’s coal and steel country. The consultancy certified 14 counties as AeroReady in the Tri-State region furthering the belief that aerospace can thrive in Appalachia. Five additional counties are working toward certification in 2018. We have also focused on preparing sites in the region through our AEP Quality Sites Program and other site development work.
In the short time of the Appalachian Sky initiative, the region has already seen an uptick in prospective companies considering or committing to expansion in Central Appalachia. For example, Kentucky Power has been able to actively market the region with state and local partners, resulting in six key manufacturing project announcements for the region in 2017:
Beyond the successes in Kentucky Power, we continue to encourage and support the development of the Tri-State aerospace initiative. Visit Appalachian Sky for more information.
The original news release can be found at: https://www.aepsustainability.com/community/development/appalachia.aspx
Leaders from across the region met to review an assessment for five counties regarding the possibility of the aerospace industry.
Gallia, Mason, Lawrence, and Jackson Counties in Ohio and West Virginia have been certified as AEROready communities based on their available resources and other data about the region. These five counties will be added onto an existing region called Appalachian Sky that is located along US 23 through eastern Kentucky.
According to Tuscon Roberts and Robert Ingram, who founded the AEROready organization, this certification and continuing program is designed to help rural communities join together with their resources to help bring in companies in the aerospace industry and increase jobs in the region through recruitment and marketing.
All five of the counties, including Gallia and Mason, are certified through AEROready and are now a part of the larger marketing and recruitment system called Appalachian Sky.
In a joint presentation, Roberts explained that aerospace jobs have a significant impact on the local economy. AEROready looked at 74 necessary job skills in the region and their availability should aerospace jobs come to the region. These skills ranged from truck driving and welding to manufacturing and engineering.
“The AEROready Certification will provide our community another tool in the toolbox as we work to attract new investment and jobs to Gallia County,” said Melissa Clark, Gallia County Economic Director. “By joining the existing Appalachian Sky initiative and with the support of AEP, the AEROready designation will help provide assurance to private industry that our region can support the aerospace industry.”
By Morgan McKinniss - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The full news release can be found at: https://www.mydailytribune.com/news/28388/gallia-mason-ready-for-aerospace
Shreveport lands 170 new jobs at airport
(May 2018) – Western Global Airlines, a cargo freight carrier, will create 170 new jobs over the next decade at the Shreveport Regional Airport for a maintenance hub to tend to its fleet.
“In Louisiana, our aerospace industry continues to grow with manufacturers, maintenance and repair facilities, industrial air transport companies, and our flagship NASA manufacturing site at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said. “We’re excited to be bringing a company with the global reach of Western Global Airlines to Shreveport, where this project will boost the regional economy and provide compelling new career opportunities for our talented workforce.”
Western Global will operate in the 152,000-square-foot Hangar 40.
ExpressJet had occupied the hangar for its own maintenance hub since 2003, but left for Knoxville last year, eliminating 300 jobs.
West Global will tend to its fleet of 16 Boeing 747 and McDonnel Douglas MD-11 wide-body freighter aircraft.
The global company has outsourced its aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul before deciding to open its own shop in Shreveport.
“Western Global is pleased to select Shreveport for its worldwide aircraft heavy maintenance base,” James Neff, Western Global's founder and chief executive, said in a statement.
“Shreveport’s central location, abundant and competent workforce, and state-of-the-art large aircraft hangar makes it an ideal choice for WGA," he said. "We look forward to a very long-term, mutually beneficial relationship with the city of Shreveport, the state of Louisiana and Louisiana Economic Development, where we can grow together and make Shreveport a center for aircraft maintenance.”
Click here to read the full article on the Shreveport Times website.