WASHINGTON AEROSPACE TRAINING
& RESEARCH CENTER :
INNOVATIVE TRAINING FOR AN EVOLVING INDUSTRY
BY : LARRY CLUPHF , EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR , AMSC / WATR
The first half of the 8-week Specialty Certificate is online , providing students with the technical structure and methodologies of a program . Upon successful completion , facilitators with decades of aerospace manufacturing experience instruct and train students through immersive hands-on , in-person labs .
The Washington Aerospace Training & Research ( WATR ) Center of Edmonds College is celebrating 12 years of serving the aerospace industry . WATR was created to deliver short-term , high-impact training in aerospace – and other manufacturing industries – to the community . Their focus is building the necessary workforce to help local companies thrive while offering students the chance to earn satisfying , family-wage jobs in a growing industry .
The WATR Center is unique . Since opening in 2010 , the Center has qualified students for a manufacturing career in just 12 weeks . The courses consist of 60 % online curriculum and 40 % in-person hands-on lab experience on state-of-the-art , industry-approved equipment .
Students begin their journey by completing a 4-week online prerequisite Manufacturing Core certificate program , which provides an overview of aviation manufacturing terminology and techniques . Upon successfully earning the certificate , students then select – and complete – one of five Specialty Certificates which include : » Manufacturing Assembly Mechanic » Electrical Assembly Mechanic » Manufacturing Composites » Tooling Mechanic » Quality Assurance ( QA )
Within its 12-year history , The WATR Center has successfully graduated more than 4,000 students . Of those graduates tracked by WATR – who ’ ve earned both a Manufacturing Core and Specialty Certificate – 85 % have gone on to careers in aerospace manufacturing and other complementary industries . Aerospace companies recruit directly from WATR , and graduates with industry experience are often afforded the opportunity to complete additional certificates , especially if they ’ re interested in upgrading their skills .
In addition to providing qualified candidates , WATR also administers customized training for the industry . An employer can work with WATR facilitators to address specific training needs for their business or contracts . These short-term trainings provide career growth for the employee while assisting companies with retention . Over 2,000 incumbent workers have been trained at the center .
“ We are happy to partner with organizations , large and small , to identify and customize training as the aerospace industry continues to evolve ,” notes Larry Cluphf , Executive Director for the WATR Center . “ The Washington Aerospace Training & Research Center is here to meet the needs of our manufacturing clients and support the growth of aerospace throughout Snohomish County and greater Puget Sound .”
Recently , the WATR Center partnered with Boeing to develop a special curriculum and hands-on project for Washington state STEM teachers . The immersive , four-day Core Plus Aerospace project involved a comprehensive
94 NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS
PNAA ADVANCE / 2023
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