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attract people to the industry very early in their schooling
and career decisions, " Rankin explained. " We have
apprenticeship programs in both tracks because you
don't have to go to school to get your A&P. "
West Star also doubled its efforts to promote
aviation careers in high schools and employs college
students part-time, hiring many of them upon
graduation. " We invest in their future by putting
theory into practicality and help them learn more
about emerging technologies that are not part of the
college curriculum, " he said.
West Star has 40 apprentices, 12 of which were
hired in 2021, 11 who are one year into their program
and 17 who will graduate next year.
The company also assigns a mentor to new hires
and apprentices. This seasoned employee helps new
hires advance through technician levels I, II and III
and into supervisory training if they desire. The LMS
gives new hires a path for growth, offering training
modules for each level.
" Having a technical mentor is great when technicians
come to us right from school, " he said. " They get
them acclimated to the company and its processes.
We also hope to assign a career mentor to ensure
their career progresses the way they like. Employees
can start in one position but move to another if they
want to work in that area. We would rather employees
move throughout the company than leave it. "
Good Corporate Citizens
West Star sees sustainability as one of its core leadership
pillars. The company embarked on its green
journey in 2007 and has cultivated a culture of sustainability
that resonates with every employee and
permeates every facet of the business. " Business has
a responsibility to be good corporate citizens, " said
Rankin. " Companies should make the world a better
place than they found it. That's true with the environment
and sustainability efforts. "
West Star's commitment to sustainability has
saved the company money. In fact, where West Star
once spent $50,000 per quarter to ship 28 different
waste streams off site, its average quarterly spend for
the same service today is around $16,000. Recycling
has cut its waste streams to 17. The company now
recycles electronics waste, aluminum, rubber, cardboard,
paper and even office supplies.
Though West Star has been a member of the
Colorado ELP since 2008, the company amped up its
efforts in 2013 to reduce hazardous waste streams by
upgrading parts washers to biodegradable/recyclable
solvents, reducing its fleet of gasoline/propane powered
equipment and upgrading to electric-powered
equipment/vehicles.
More recently, the company sponsored the local
school district at its GJT facility, which encompasses
46 schools, 3,000 employees and 22,000 students.
West Star mentored the district through the ELP
application process.
The district entered the program at the highest
level, gold. West Star continues to work with students
in the Math Engineering Science Achievement
MESA Program where their efforts helped coordinate
recycling drives to fund science projects, design
and build charging stations, and establish in-school
recycling stations.
An Eye Toward the Future
West Star won't rest on its laurels as it pushes toward
the future, according to Rankin.
The company constantly looks for ways to grow
and provide better service. But every change focuses
on whether growth benefits both customers and
employees. " We strive to have an environment of continuous
improvement, but if growth doesn't benefit
customers and employees, it will not be sustainable, "
he noted. " We always look at every change through
the lens of how it benefits these groups. "
West Star developed
and implemented a new
Learning Management
System and equipped
technicians with
iPads to help them
complete virtual
maintenance training
provided by industry
partners and in-house
technical experts.
WEST STAR AVIATION
Ronnie Wendt
owns and operates
In Good Company
Communications,
a copywriting firm
that specializes in
writing about aviationrelated
topics.
www.AviationPros.com 31
http://www.AviationPros.com
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