High School Programs Bringing In More Young People To The Industry

Colorado’s Cherry Creek School District just outside of Denver has a unique program called the Innovation Campus that provides transformative educational pathways for students in 10th to 12th grades, including one that is training future aircraft mechanics.

The Cherry Creek Innovation Campus (CCIC) recently expanded its aircraft mechanic program to three years, which combined with the FAA exams taken along the way, will enable students the training and qualifications they need to get a job repairing and maintaining aircraft right after graduation.

Ty McNew is a former F-16 mechanic and now teaches the next generation of mechanics as the aviation powerplant instructor at CCIC.

He said, “We bring in real airplanes, real helicopters, real test equipment and we try to teach them the latest and greatest of whatever the industry is seeing at this time.”

CCIC students start in the program as sophomores and McNew added, “After the third year, the kids will get an FAA endorsement and they’ll have their airframe and powerplant which is the endorsement you need to go to work for any airline, air medical, or general aviation.”

Senior Izzy Mitchell was focused on tightening a propeller in her powerplant course. She hopes to fly planes one day and said, “We’re learning a lot about the engines and how they work, like carburetors. I figured, if I know how to fly a plane, I probably should know how to be able to fix it.”

Mitchell knows the FAA airframe and powerplant qualification is something she’ll be able to use to help her career take off.

She said, “If just gives more options for you to think of in your future."

FMI:  www.cherrycreekschools.org/