SALISBURY, Md. - A new Aviation Maintenance Technician School is up and running at the Salisbury Regional Airport. Fifteen students, who began their training on August 25th, make up the inaugural class of hands-on learners.
The twelve month program is FAA certified and officials say it is the first of its kind on the Eastern Shore. The program is a collaboration between the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, the Salisbury Regional Airport, Piedmont Airlines, Wicomico County, and the State of Maryland. David Ryan, the executive director of the Salisbury Wicomico Economic Development Corporation, tells WBOC this program is four years in the making and is unlike others.
“It’s a twelve month program. Most of these are twenty-four months,” said Ryan. “For an intense twelve month program exchange, you can sit to take the Airframe and Power Plant test.”
Ryan says the A&P credentials are highly reputable in the airline industry and sets these students up for success.
“Wherever they are in the United States, wherever they may go, if they’re close to an airport, they’ll have a job,” said Ryan.
Chris Proscia, the Aviation Sciences Manager for UMES, spearheaded the creation of this program with a specific vision.
“My goal was to have them in high demand and have customers waiting in line for my next group of students to graduate,” said Proscia. “That way they don’t have to wait for a job.”
The twelve month program and the equipment available to the students is what has drawn people to this school. Representatives say more than fifteen students have already shown interest in enrolling in next year’s class.
“It's a lot more attractive for me personally than a four year degree. Just because it's a lot more time, it's much more experience based and hands on, which I enjoy,” said student, Isaac Banks. “It's just an awesome pipeline to go through and be able to start working faster.”
Proscia says there is also a four year bachelor’s degree in Maintenance Management that is available for students to tack onto this certificate-based program. Completing the twelve month program would then put those students one year into that bachelor’s program.
A ribbon cutting ceremony is set for today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the airport. Piedmont Airlines is expected to donate aircraft and engines to the program at the ceremony.