The inaugural class of the Cuesta College Aviation Maintenance Technician program walked across the stage Friday in the Cuesta AMT Hangar.
The 18-month AMT program, in partnership with Cuesta College, ACI Jet and the County of San Luis Obispo, gave students hands-on, real-life experience they can use as future aviation maintenance technicians.
The program includes general, airframe and powerplant maintenance subjects required by the Federal Aviation Administration to become a technician.
The only woman in the program, Santa Margarita native Katy Hurley, says the range of skills learned will open doors for a wide range of opportunities within the industry.
“We're able to get all different kinds of experience while still in the program, so we can kind of figure out what we want to do as we're doing it,” Hurley said. “The instructors are always there to help and so are your classmates, so it makes it really fun. It was just a really amazing time.”
“This is a field in which they have experienced a huge wave of retirements. Not only are there incredible job openings now, [but] also over the next couple decades,” said Jill Stearns, Cuesta College Superintendent and President.
The second cohort for the AMT program is underway, and students can begin applying in November for the third cohort which begins in January.
