Some of the biggest names in the aviation industry were present for the second annual Aviation Job Fair for Pierpont’s Aviation Maintenance Technology program on Thursday at the National Aerospace Education Center in Bridgeport.

 

“We have a little over 20 vendors, recruiters her, probably 22,” said Dr. Brad Gilbert, Senior Professor and Director of Aviation at Pierpont. “We have airlines, we have airframe structures employers, we have turbine engine overhaul employees.

 

“Last year, we had 13 companies, this year 22. Everybody needs aircraft maintenance employees. This job fair is for the Aviation Maintenance program as we as the general public that’s interested in working in aviation.”

 

Gilbert and his staff offer constant examples and reminders to the Aviation Maintenance students how there is strong demand for jobs in the aviation industry. The job fair is just another tool to help emphasize that.

 

“The light comes on for them,” Gilbert said. “A lot of the local employers, the expansion of Aurora Flight Sciences, I got a message from Pratt & Whitney the other day and they 20-25 people. There are a lot of opportunities out there.”

 

The job fair took place in hangar at the Education Center and it was full of students visiting the businesses. Gilbert was hopeful that before the day was over there would be strong attendance from the general public as that would help get the word out on what the school offers as well.

 

“That’s part of the goal, bringing awareness of who we are and what we do in the region,” he said. “The services we provide for the community. This is helping put us on the map. That’s the goal, we open the doors to bring students in and if we bring them in, I want to be able to send them out into the work force as well.”

 

Ed Waske, the CEO of Engine & Airframe Solutions Worldwide, represented his company at the fair. Through his business and his role in forming the Carl Hopkins Youth Aviation Expo, Waske is an advocate for creating awareness in the area for all things aviation related.

 

“I asked a group of students, how many of them knew about the flight school,” Waske said. “They had no idea. I asked them if they know the airport puts $1.2 billion into the economy, they had no idea. I asked if they knew there are 1,200 aviation jobs, they had no idea.

 

“So, we are starting with the youth and when they are real young at the Carl Hopkins expo, we talk to the parents. I had a parent of a three-year-old that sat in a helicopter (at the expo), now every time something flies, he points to the sky.

 

“That’s where it starts with creating awareness.”

 

The efforts of Gilbert and his staff certainly aren’t lost on the Pierpont administration either.

 

“It’s easy to support the Aviation Center because Brad and his team run a stellar program for our traditional and nontraditional students,” said Kathy Hypes, the Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Public Relations at Pierpont. “With (Brad’s) relationship with the industry, he creates opportunities for his students."

 

Participating in the Job Fair were: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Pratt & Whitney, KCI Aviation, NorthStar Technologies, Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex, HQ Aero, Aurora Flight Sciences, Engineering Management Solutions, Engine & Airframe Solutions Worldwide, Dynamic Aviation, West Virginia Department of Economic Development, JS Firms, Lockheed Martin, Gal Aerostaff, West Virginia Air National Guard, U.S. Air Force, Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services, the Workforce Development Board and General Electric Aviation.

 

A photo gallery from the job fair will be up on Connect-Bridgeport in the upcoming days.