Avionics News August 2021 - 31

headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, both have registered
apprenticeship programs and shared their experiences with
Avionics News.
Chris Kilgour, chief executive officer of C&L Aviation,
and Jennifer Monroe, human resources lead at Duncan
Aviation, consider recruiting from the local area to be the
most significant benefit of their companies' apprenticeship
programs.
C&L Aviation's program typically consists of six people
per intake with one in April 2021 and a second planned for
September 2021. Kilgour said teaching local individuals
means the apprentice is more likely to stay with the
organization once the program is over. That's important,
since the company invests about
2 ½ years in each participant in
the apprenticeship program. As an
added incentive for C&L Aviation,
apprentices learn the company's
culture, policies and procedures from
day one.
over time. The registration process requires development
and implementation of detailed curriculum with established
milestones, which is then reviewed by the agency.
The registration process itself can improve your
apprenticeship program, according to both Kilgour and
Monroe.
" To give the apprentice a fair go at the job, you really need
to have some structure, " Kilgour said.
Monroe explained the approval process isn't to be taken
lightly but found DOL representatives to be helpful and
emphasized the process itself improved their apprenticeship
program overall, adding, " We worked collaboratively with
the Department of Labor. "
While there are some small
monetary benefits to approval through
the DOL, Kilgour finds the most
significant benefits in the product
of the program, explaining A&P
graduates from technical schools
are still mostly green and have a lot
to learn, while apprentices already
have months or years of hands-on
experience. Individuals completing the
program either obtain an airframe and
powerplant license or concentrate on
aircraft interior work.
Duncan Aviation will start 10 new
apprentices in August under its new DOL registered program
that includes both an aircraft and powerplant track.
Duncan Aviation tends to recruit apprentices from inside
AN APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAM REQUIRES
A BIG COMMITMENT
FROM THE EMPLOYER
AND IS NOT CHEAP
LABOR, BUT IT CAN BE
AN EXCELLENT
TOOL IN
DEVELOPING
TALENTED
EMPLOYEES.
If you want to start your own
apprenticeship program, you don't
have to start from a blank page. Use
available resources, including your
state's Department of Labor. Look
at other organizations' programs and
modify them to meet your needs.
Apprenticeship.gov provides a myriad
of resources related to beginning an
apprenticeship program.
Both C&L Aviation and Duncan
Aviation take their apprenticeship
program one step further, with
approval from the Veterans
Administration so veterans can
use their benefits for certain living
expenses and to offset the costs
of tools while participating in the
program. The companies hope this
approval helps give more veterans
interested in aircraft maintenance
an opportunity to participate in the apprenticeship
program, potentially expanding the organization's veteran
workforce pipeline.
the organization. The company's tech helper positions, which
are recruited from internal and external sources, were created
with the intention of leading to the apprenticeship program.
Duncan Aviation has found its apprenticeship program
to be a large investment, not only for the company but
also for the individual, so the company builds in time prior
to accepting an apprentice candidate to make sure the
program is truly something the candidate wants to do. In that
approximately 90 days, the company also has a chance to
evaluate the individual.
Both C&L Aviation and Duncan Aviation started
their apprenticeship programs as less formal, in-house
programs, but sought Department of Labor registration
An apprenticeship program certainly requires a big
commitment from the employer and is not cheap labor, but
it can be an excellent tool in developing talented employees.
In fact, more good news arrived on this front in late June
when the Federal Aviation Administration announced it
has accepted the AEA's avionics technician apprenticeship
program to satisfy regulatory compliance for the issuance
of a repairman certificate. The formal announcement was
made by Jackie L. Black, manager of the FAA's Aircraft
Maintenance Division, on June 23 during a regulatory
session at the AEA Convention in Dallas. You can learn more
about this important announcement on page 11 or by visiting
the AEA's website at aea.net. q
avionics news * august 2021 31
http://Apprenticeship.gov http://aea.net
Avionics News August 2021

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