West Star Aviation has been granted approval for it Aircraft Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship Program by the United States Department of Labor as a registered program in Illinois.
The company currently has 37 apprentice AMTs, with the majority — 73% — based at the company’s location in Alton, Illinois.
This allows West Star to be eligible for state grants, which can offset wages, tuition and other training costs, company officials noted. This registered program will also allow for further growth with federal grants, as the Aviation Workforce Development Grant that was just recently approved by Congress.
“We are honored to be approved for this exciting new program,” stated Katie Johnson, VP of Human Resources. “This opportunity will allow us to continue to grow and expand the AMT workforce.”
In addition to its primary facilities in East Alton; Grand Junction, Colorado; Chattanooga, Tennesee; and Perryville, Missouri; West Star Aviation also maintains satellite facilities at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport in Aspen, Colorado; Chicago Executive Airport in Chicago; Centennial Airport in Denver; Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport in Houston; Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport in Minneapolis, and Scottsdale Airport in Scottsdale, Arizona. The company also provides FBO services at its East Alton and Grand Junction facilities.