NIC’s Aerospace Center of Excellence came under review this semester and has a new program planned for next year.
At the September board of trustees meeting NIC President Joe Dunlap announced the results of the Department of Labor’s review of the aerospace program.
The grant for the program was provided by the Department of Labor, hence their review.
The team that performed the review released a report detailing three areas in need of improvement.
The first issue was the lack of a procedure for grant management.
The second issue was the lack of a policy for procurement.
Finally, the review team said that the funds from the aerospace grant were not being spent quickly enough.
Eight commendations were also earned by the program.
As a result, the Department of Labor is granting NIC a 6-month extension for the grant. This extension comes in part because the grant had come in to play late.
Aerospace Director Patrick O’Halloran said, “what three million can do for a school like this is make a significant ripple. The way the program utilizes it’s grant is very important.”
To utilize remaining grant money, and to continue to teach in line with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) desires, the aerospace program will add a new course next fall.
Airframe Fabrication and Repair. The course was initially intended to be made available in the spring, but was pushed back; a decision ultimately made by the FAA.
A new program will be made available next semester despite the pushing back of the airframe fabrication and repair course.
Non-destructible testing, one of the original courses planned for the program, will accept enrollment next semester.
The grant was awarded by Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training initiative in 2012, totaling $2.97 million and predicting to create 520 jobs by 2015. The three-year grant period started on Oct. 1, 2012.
A big reason why it takes so long for classes to be approved is that NIC has to approve them. The final edict for the classes comes from the FAA, and they are why the course pertaining to airframe development and repair has been pushed until next Fall.
The Aerospace Center of Excellence has to show the FAA many different aspects of any future classes they plan to offer.
Currently the aerospace program has seen 50 graduates from its one-year degree program.
their ultimate goal is to contrive more classes, and a two-year degree. The FAA and their budget are both playing notable roles.
