Aerospace training facility proposed
June 17, 2009 By Scott Nixon
This article originally appeared in the Exeter Times-Advocate
- http://www.southhuron.com/news.php?id=1060
HURON PARK - Huron Park and the entire area could be in for a boost if a proposed aerospace manufacturing training facility goes ahead.
Goderich Aircraft, Fanshawe College, the Municipality of South Huron and the Huron Business Development Corporation have partnered in a project to convert a hangar at the Field Memorial Airport to an "Advanced Integrated Aerospace Manufacturing Training Facility."
South Huron council held a special meeting June 11 to agree to formally apply for about $2 million in federal funding for the project, from the government's $348.9 million Community Adjustment Fund for Ontario communities.
The deadline to apply was June 12.
Those involved say the project has both the short-term and long-term strength of the local economy in mind and comes in the aftermath of a Huron County that has seen nearly 1,000 manufacturing jobs since last fall.
The proposed training facility in Huron Park will, according to South Huron chief administrative officer Roy Hardy's report, "accelerate the training and employment of displaced tradespersons, new avionics graduates and existing employees, resulting in the creation and/or retention of 60 highly-skilled manufacturing jobs. The training facility will also anchor the growth of a new aerospace manufacturing cluster in South Huron.
The project will help address the loss of 30 per cent of the region's manufacturing jobs over the last year."
Hardy said the project will provide skilled workers for Goderich Aircraft, help retain and attract youth to the area and in the long term will provide continued job creation in the area.
"It's a rather exciting type of project," he said, adding it would place South Huron among the leaders in avionics.
Goderich Aircraft specializes in corporate jet conversions and full jet refurbishments, including avionics upgrades and maintenance.
Answering a question from Coun. Tom Tomes, Hardy said the only cost to the municipality has been the time it has taken staff to put together the application and other administrative work. Direct financial support of the proposed project will come from the federal grant, Goderich Aircraft and Huron Business Development Corporation.
Council spoke in favour of the project, with Mayor Ken Oke saying, "This certainly is good news," and giving credit to Hardy for finding the funding program and for working with county officials.
Coun. Jim Dietrich also spoke in favour of the training facility.
"It means jobs," he said.
After the meeting Oke said the training facility will result in job security and "higher-end" types of jobs. He added he's optimistic the grant application will be successful, with Hardy saying it might take two to three months to find out.
Joshua Colle, a consultant working with Goderich Aircraft on the project, said the company is "really excited" about the project.
He said one reason behind the project is to retain local workers. He said there are people who have been laid off from other manufacturing jobs with a great set of skills, "but to get them aerospace-ready, there's a gap that needs to be bridged."
Fanshawe will provide the instructors and the "college atmosphere" to the training centre.
As well, the facility will provide training for recent college grads who need experience in a manufacturing setting.
"We're kind of lucky that Goderich Aircraft is kind of in an expansion mode and can take people on like that," Colle said. The company recently unveiled a new 43,000 square foot hangar in Huron Park.
The proposed training facility will turn Huron Park into an "aerospace hub," Colle said.
For immediate benefit, the project will create construction jobs, but the uniqueness of the project is that it will have long-term benefits.
"It's a great example of business, government, academia and the community all coming together to put a plan forward," Colle said, adding the proposal to the feds is strong.
Of the grant, Colle said, "It's our hope that we would have an answer this summer," adding an existing hangar will have to be retrofitted to house the training facility.
The actual training itself will include "aviation/aerospace 101," Colle said, but added "the real kind of meat of it is hands-on training and all the functions that Goderich Aircraft offers."
Those coming out of the training facility will be able to work "in countless different capacities in . . . real current systems in aircraft," he added, explaining that while some colleges offer out-of-date technology for students, everything offered at the Huron Park facility will be up-to-date and current.
"We're trying to do something that's really pragmatic and practical and gets people working," Colle said, adding there is a specific need for such jobs.
He said Goderich Aircraft would like to see the facility go ahead as soon as possible.
In the short term, Colle said the facility will provide 60 new employees; in the longer term, there will be over 200 jobs created.
To the community, Colle said the obvious benefit of the project is job creation and reversing the trend of losses in the manufacturing sector. As a result, the economy will be re-energized, with people spending money, staying in the area and helping with the tax base, Colle explained.
The project has been in the works for about a year, but came together quickly in the last few months, he said.
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