West Star Aviation Academy (WSAA) last week welcomed its first set of apprentice technicians to the inaugural class that will prepare them to become aviation maintenance technicians. The program, at West Star Aviation’s East Alton, Illinois facility, is a paid apprenticeship and will take 7.5 months.
Apprentices will undergo classroom and hands-on training as well as receive mentoring and shadow technicians at West Star’s maintenance facility to help the students “bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world experience,” according to West Star Aviation. “The goal of WSAA is to produce a highly skilled and work-ready pool of FAA-licensed aircraft maintenance technicians while removing the barriers associated with gaining employment along with fulfilling the educational and licensing requirements provided by this accelerated program.”
West Star Aviation worked with Southwestern Illinois College, the village of Bethalto, and the state of Illinois to set up the academy, and it has been a key employer in the region for many years. The company also has facilities in Grand Junction, Colorado; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Perryville, Missouri, as well as satellite locations at Chicago Executive Airport; Centennial Airport in Denver; Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport; and Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport.