Southern State’s aviation program offers big opportunities
Kyle Langdon
Southern State Community College, in partnership with Great Oaks Career Campuses, offers an associate degree in Engineering: Aviation Maintenance as well as two certificate programs.
The educational and employment victories resulting from the collaboration between the Laurel Oaks Career Campus, Southern State Community College, and the aviation-related industries at the Wilmington Air Park has proven to be successful.
The possibility of a career that starts at $30 an hour and has the potential to go to more than double that in a few years is also quite attractive. And there is the possibility of moving up the ranks to management as well.
“Our students, when they complete the program, have standing offers from a couple of different MROs and airlines, starting at around $30/hr. UPS and Delta are starting at around $60 to even $70/hr. Airlines look at this as a $100,000/year job,” says Southern State’s Aviation Instructor Shawn Tomlin.
Hands-on classes are held in the evenings at the Corwin Dixon Aviation Center at Laurel Oaks in Wilmington.
The associate degree in Engineering: Aviation Maintenance is designed as a four-semester track to be completed in two years. Successful completion of the program could lead to employment at an FAA-certified repair station or airline/airfreight company, in aircraft or aerospace manufacturing, and as an aviation maintenance technician, sales and service technician, and general, corporate, and fixed-base aircraft operator.
The certificate programs, Airframe and Powerplant, can be completed in less time than the degree pathway.
Kyle Langdon, a current student, could not be happier with his decision to enroll in the program. “If you’re looking for a new career in aviation, this is a great place to start. They have a lot of hands-on activities; you’ll learn a lot about the planes, and you’ll come out of this program as a professional mechanic,” he says.
To learn more about the Engineering: Aviation Maintenance degree program and certificate options, please visit https://www.sscc.edu/academics/programs/engineering.shtml or call Michelle Callender at 800.628.7722, Ext. 2825. The fall semester begins Aug. 21 and registration is underway.