Last week, Peralta Community College District received a $3 million federal grant to expand and modernize the College of Alameda’s Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT) training facility.

Founded in 1973, the College of Alameda’s AMT program is located in Oakland, adjacent to the North Field of the Oakland International Airport at the intersection of Harbor Bay Parkway and Doolittle Drive. The program is currently housed in two buildings that date back to the 1960s. 

The Federal Economic Development Administration awarded the $3 million aviation grant to support the refurbishment of the current facility in order to provide local residents with expanded workforce training opportunities and higher-skill, higher-paying jobs. According to estimates, the project is expected to create 1,109 new jobs and help retain 1,000 jobs. The college’s AMT program plays a critical role in providing the qualified aircraft technicians on whom regional employers such as United Airlines and Alaska Airlines depend.

“As a public, two-year college, College of Alameda provides an affordable, accessible way for regional residents who most need access to higher paying jobs can train for them without incurring debt,” said Tim Karas, president, College of Alameda. “This grant comes at a crucial time as the program has a long wait list each semester while, at the same time, employers are forecasting an ongoing shortage in qualified technicians.”

The College of Alameda aviation project will modernize and expand the second-floor mezzanine of Building B which is currently shuttered and not accessible. This expansion will add approximately 5,230 square feet of modern facilities for the program including three smart classrooms, faculty offices, up-to-date bathrooms and a new student study and lounge area.

The hands-on aviation maintenance program prepares students to enter the job market as aviation technicians, or to pursue a higher aeronautical degree. Depending on their interests, students can choose a focus in either airframe or powerplant technology. Airframe maintenance deals with the mechanics and design of an aircraft, while powerplant maintenance deals with the complex propulsion systems that supply power to an aircraft.

For more information about College of Alameda’s AMT program see www.alameda.peralta.edu/aviation-maintenance-technology.