Bell Helicopter, Fort Worth ISD And Tarrant County College Collaborate On The Program

Bell Helicopter, Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD) and Tarrant County College (TCC) have announced a collaborative effort to provide advanced aviation and engineering training for students at Dunbar High School. Representatives from Bell Helicopter, FWISD and TCC landed in a Bell 407GX at Dunbar High School in Fort Worth to introduce the program to students and members of the community.

"This collaboration will provide real-time instruction to our students," said Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Walter Dansby. "The expertise of the aviation professionals writing this curriculum is state-of-the-art. You couldn't ask for anything better."

Bell Helicopter, FWISD and TCC are working together to develop and implement a rigorous curriculum for aviation and engineering programs, offering students industry certification and dual credit. Tailored training to meet current and future industry needs will be incorporated into existing aerospace and engineering courses and the curriculum will emphasize building skills in key areas, including computerized numerical controlled (CNC) machining and advanced composite bonding. The program allows students to complete their training in 18 to 24 months and includes a senior project that will help determine if the student will be recruited by Bell Helicopter and other companies in the aviation industry at the end of the course.

"We are thrilled to join both FWISD and TCC to enable our local youth to grow and develop their skills in aviation and engineering," said Shannon Massey, vice president, Quality at Bell Helicopter. "This type of centralized and certified trades skills training schools has never been approached before in this state and we believe this collaboration will not only provide more opportunity for students interested in careers in aviation, but will promote the industry as a whole, adding skilled men and women to the workforce in North Texas."

Currently, the 2013 9th and 10th grade classes at Dunbar High are experiencing the new curriculum for the first time. A separate team of curriculum developers consisting of Fort Worth Dunbar High School faculty members, Tarrant County College technical trade skill instructors, FWISD Career and Technical Education coordinators and Bell Helicopter technical training specialists are working together to incorporate specific industry production and manufacturing requirements, techniques and practical applications skills into tracts that will best position graduates to qualify to participate in the Tarrant County Advanced Composite and CNC Machining programs. The Tarrant County programs will then provide them with the higher skills and knowledge that will qualify them for employment in the aviation industry. The proposals for the programs will be submitted to the Texas State Workforce Commission for state recognition and certification by 2015.

"TCC is constantly seeking ways to launch new opportunities that allow us to work with Bell Helicopter and Fort Worth ISD so we can continue to play a key role in preparing a workforce to power our local economy," said TCC's Troy Vaughn, associate vice chancellor for Continuing Education Services. "It is our hope that many of the students will continue their higher education at TCC as they prepare to take their place in the workforce or to continue their studies at a four-year institution."

(Bell 407GX pictured in file photo)

FMI: www.bellhelicopter.com, www.tccd.edu, www.fwisd.org