Trainers Will Help Design, Teach Curriculum To Create Pathways
To Jobs
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's Office has chosen AAR as its
aviation industry partner for a new education to careers engagement
strategy between the City Colleges of Chicago and private business
to prepare residents for jobs in high-growth sectors. AAR Chairman
and CEO David P. Storch joined Mayor Emanuel for the announcement
of the "Colleges to Careers" initiative, which will focus on
building industry partnerships for careers in aviation, healthcare,
logistics, hospitality and information technology. These
high-growth sectors are in need of skilled workers to fill open
positions today and to build a pipeline of talent for the future.
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.
"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."
The Mayor's Office highlighted AAR's recent report The
Mid-skills Gap in Middle America: Building Today's Workforce and
the company's need to fill 600 positions requiring a high degree of
specialization and FAA certification. The mismatch between
available jobs and employee qualifications has delayed hiring at
companies poised to participate in the economic and jobs recovery,
according to the findings.
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, IL. 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."
There is no precedent for an initiative of this scale between
private industry and an academic institution, according to Mayor
Emanuel's Office. Other industry partners include BNSF Railway,
UPS, Northwestern University Hospital, Walgreens, Baxter and the
Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council.