SAVANNAH—Interest in Savannah Technical College’s aviation programs continues strong, with Monday’s announcement that the Luxury Craft Cabinetmaking certificate program will be offered this fall for the first time in two years.
“We expect growing demand in the next year,” said Bindley Thomas, department head and instructor of aviation technology. “Employers will be looking to ramp up production on a couple of key projects and that means hiring more qualified workers.”
The Luxury Craft Cabinetmaking program consists of four classes and usually takes two quarters to complete. Students learn tool use and safety, materials, blueprint reading and cabinet assembly. Classes begin Sept. 29 and are taught in the evenings at the Savannah Campus, 5717 White Bluff Rd.
According to Thomas, the other aviation programs have continued to show strong enrollment, especially Aircraft Structural Assembly at both the certificate and diploma levels. The certificate program includes three classes and can be completed in two quarters. The diploma program takes about a year and includes 77 quarter hours. The college also offers the Aircraft Electrical Assembly certificate program that takes three quarters to complete.
All of the aviation offerings will be located in the Aviation Training Center to be built on the Crossroads Technology Campus, off I-95 in the Crossroads Business Park near the Savannah Hilton Head International Airport. The 25,000 square foot building is being designed by Buckley and Associates.
Plans call for a fully operational aircraft hangar, specialized labs and classrooms and a pad for towing and movement of aircraft in and out of the facility. It is expected that ground will be broken in spring 2011 with construction scheduled to be completed in about a year, according to Dean of Industrial Technology Tal Loos.
“Once we get the building up and running, we’ll be able to move forward with seeking our FAA Part 147 certification,” Loos said.
That designation will allow Savannah Technical College to teach the Airframe and Powerplant program.
For admission information, visit www.savannahtech.edu.
