Funds To Train HondaJet Workers 

A private donation of $1 million will help the Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown, NC to train workers for Honda Aircraft and other transportation companies, the school announced this week. 

The Joseph M. Bryan Foundation of Greater Greensboro awarded the grant specifically to finance equipment in the Aviation and Transportation Logistics Program.

GTCC President Don Cameron said the money will go to training workers to work at Honda, aircraft maintenance company TIMCO and for a dealer technician apprenticeship program for Volvo Trucks North America and Mack Trucks..

Beginning August 20, GTCC will provide custom training programs for Honda, in areas to facilitate production of its HondaJet VLJ at Piedmont Triad International Airport.

Ed Frye, chairman of GTCC's Transportation Technology Division, said that the money will make a big difference.

"In terms of its biggest impact, it will allow us to equip the programs in both heavy equipment and aviation with the same kind of equipment and materials that our students will have when they enter the work place," he said. "In other words, they will be trained to work as they went to school, as opposed to training on older equipment and then running into new equipment as soon as they step on the floor of the work place."

The school states $744,000 of the grant money will be used for the school's aviation program, which is expected to rise in prominence this year as Honda begins construction on its new $60 million facility nearby.

The company announced in February its plans to establish its world headquarters in Greensboro, NC with construction of a new 215,000 square foot headquarters facility and hangar at Piedmont Triad International (PTI) airport.

The company confirmed plans to manufacture its advanced light jet, HondaJet, at a new plant that will be constructed next to the new headquarters.

Honda plans to begin delivery of HondaJet to customers in 2010. Honda plans to hire about 250 production workers who will need specialized training in airframe and engine maintenance, as well as training in new composite techniques.

FMI: www.gtcc.cc.nc.us/