AAR partners with City Colleges of Chicago to fill skills gaps in aviation
Wood Dale-based AAR has been named a partner with the city of Chicago for a new education to careers strategy between the City Colleges of Chicago and private business.
AR Chairman and CEO David P. Storch and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the “Colleges to Careers” initiative, which will focus on building industry partnerships for careers in aviation, healthcare, logistics, hospitality and information technology. The targeted industries are in need of skilled workers to fill open positions now and in the future, the two said, and the initiative will draw on its partners' knowledge and expertise to develop the definitive standard in industry credentials, drive job creation and help increase the competitiveness of Chicago-area companies.
AAR will participate in providing expertise in the aviation field.
“This initiative will have long-term benefits for the viability of Chicago's future workforce,” Storch said. “It also will help to reduce employer costs for education and skills training on the job so that the people we hire are properly trained from day one.”
Under the partnership, AAR will assist with designing curriculum at Olive-Harvey College for A&P mechanic and avionics careers; provide AAR professionals to help teach curriculum and introduce real-world knowledge of the industry; and offer internships, facility tours and interviews for jobs at its facilities in Indianapolis, IN, and Wood Dale.
The aerospace mechanics certificate program will be offered at Olive-Harvey starting in the fall of 2012.
“The Colleges to Careers initiative is an excellent opportunity for AAR to introduce exciting careers in aviation to the next-generation workforce,” Storch said. “It is imperative today that private industry work closely with academic institutions to develop industry-specific curriculum that is in line with business needs so we can put people to work faster. I commend the leadership that Mayor Emanuel and the City Colleges have shown in this effort.”
Other industry partners include BNSF Railway, UPS, Northwestern University Hospital, Walgreens, Baxter and the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council.