Okanagan College, Mohawk College seek joint aerospace opportunities

A common connection with the aerospace industry and opportunities to co-operate and collaborate on programs and research have led two of Canada’s colleges to sign a memorandum of understanding that signals their intent to work together on new training and research initiatives that will benefit a growing industry.

Mohawk College, in Hamilton, ON, and Okanagan College in B.C.’s Southern Interior, have signed an MoU that outlines a new joint commitment that could see cross-Canada opportunities for training, internships and cooperative education, as well as collaborative applied research and potential new programs.

Okanagan College offers Aircraft Maintenance Structures Technician and Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) programs out of its Kelowna Aerospace Campus at the Kelowna Airport, as well as AME Maintenance training out of its Vernon Aerospace Campus. Mohawk similarly trains students in Aircraft Technician Maintenance, Aircraft Technician Structures and Avionics Technician programs, soon to be offered in a new training hub at Hamilton International Airport.

Both colleges conduct applied research. Notably, both colleges also have strong multi-faceted partnerships with KF Aerospace, a leading provider of aircraft maintenance and modifications in Canada. KF Aerospace has operations in Kelowna and Hamilton. OC has conducted aspects of its AME training in KF’s leading-edge hangars. Scores of graduates from both colleges have gone on to work for the company as technicians and engineers.

QUOTES:

“Mohawk College has had a growing commitment to the Canadian aerospace industry for years, with new credentials and a new state-of-the-art training centre both coming soon. Okanagan College has been a leader in aerospace training in British Columbia. It makes great sense for our colleges to find innovative ways to work together for the benefit our students, our programs and our industry partners.”         

– Paul Armstrong, VP Academic, Mohawk College

“We know there is both a global need for highly skilled aerospace professionals and an ever-growing call for applied research and innovation across the aerospace industry. Collaboration between OC and Mohawk College will help us pursue and advance joint applied research opportunities that will open doors to innovative learning and teaching opportunities for our students and faculty. It will also benefit our industry partners like KF Aerospace and others who are so supportive of hands-on training and research opportunities in this field.”

– Andrew Hay, VP Education, Okanagan College

“It’s great to see two forward-thinking Colleges like Mohawk and OC working together to create these types of research and training opportunities that align and support our needs in industry. As an employer, we couldn’t be happier to see partnerships like this that advance aerospace training and innovative thinking about the needs of today and the future.”

– Grant Stevens, VP Corporate Services, KF Aerospace