Cuesta secures grant for aviation maintenance facility study 

Cuesta College secured a $250,000 grant from Uplift Central Coast to fund a
feasibility study for a permanent facility for its high demand Aviation Maintenance Technician (AVMT) program.

Grant aims to address regional demand for skilled aviation technicians

– Cuesta College has received a $250,000 grant from Uplift Central Coast to fund a feasibility study for a permanent facility for its Aviation Maintenance Technician program. The funding is part of a $9 million regional initiative supporting economic growth and sustainability across six counties on the Central Coast.

“This grant will empower Cuesta College to continue transforming aviation and aerospace education in our region,” said Cuesta College Superintendent and President Jill Stearns. “Our vision for a state-of-the-art facility will not only create pathways to high-wage careers but also help address the critical shortage of highly skilled technicians on the Central Coast.”

The project will be a collaboration between Cuesta College, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and ACI Jet. The partnership will explore ways to integrate Cuesta College’s Aviation Maintenance Technician program with Cal Poly’s aerospace engineering program, maximizing shared resources and creating a regional aviation education hub.

Currently operating at ACI Jet’s facilities, Cuesta College’s aviation maintenance program has seen success. A new permanent facility would allow the college to address the demand for skilled aviation workers, unmanned systems, and urban mobility; support the region’s projected 8.3% job growth in aerospace technology; expand access to technical careers; and strengthen partnerships with industry employers.

The grant is part of Uplift Central Coast’s efforts to promote economic resilience and equitable growth in the region. Cuesta College’s proposal was among 36 projects selected out of 136 submissions, which requested nearly $50 million in total funding.

For more information about Cuesta College’s Aviation Maintenance Technician program, visit the college’s website or contact Ronnie Overacker at [email protected]. More details about Uplift Central Coast and the Catalyst Predevelopment Funding can be found at upliftcentralcoast.org.

About the author: News Staff

News staff of the A-Town Daily News wrote and edited this article from local contributors and press releases. Scott Brennan is the publisher of this newspaper and founder of Access Publishing. Connect with him on Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, or follow his blog. He can be reached at [email protected].