From Compliance to Collaboration:
INSIDE PNAA’ S NEW QUALITY COHORT By Nikki Malcolm— Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance( PNAA)
AS AEROSPACE PRODUCTION RAMPS UP AGAIN ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, QUALITY HAS BECOME MORE THAN A REQUIREMENT— IT’ S A DIFFERENTIATOR.
Nikki Malcom
Nikki Malcom CEO & Executive Director PNAA. net
PACIFIC NORTHWEST AEROSPACE ALLIANCE
Suppliers throughout our region are working harder than ever to meet customer expectations, navigate resource constraints, and scale for new opportunities. And yet, for many, the challenges are shared: maintaining consistent standards, preparing for audits, managing documentation, training new employees, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement when everyone’ s already stretched thin.
That’ s where the idea for PNAA’ s new Quality Cohort was born, from a simple question: What if we didn’ t have to tackle these challenges alone?
The Quality Cohort is a peer-led, collaborative program designed for aerospace manufacturers who are committed to improving quality together. Unlike traditional workshops or seminars, this isn’ t a one-way training session. It’ s a space where professionals from across the supply chain come together to share real-world experiences, problem-solve common pain points, and build better systems, collectively.
Each meeting centers on a discussion topic chosen by the group. Sometimes it’ s about preparing for a customer audit. Other times it’ s about how to measure quality performance in a way that drives improvement instead of just compliance. The participants decide the focus, which keeps every session practical, relevant, and immediately applicable.
In addition to the peer-led sessions, specialized training is being conducted through partners like Boeing and Impact Washington that reinforce the fundamentals of
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