Aviation India: Careers

Pune: To cater to the needs of a booming aviation sector and to provide more skilled manpower, the University of Pune (UoP) will soon be starting job-oriented courses in aviation mechanics as part of its “community college” scheme.
The concept of community college refers to colleges offering certificates, diplomas and associate degrees in technical or adult education. The UoP also plans to launch community colleges for various other disciplines for students from the lower economic strata.
The decision to start with a course in aviation mechanics was taken after considering the rising demand for technical experts in aviation in the state, especially with aviation giant Boeing investing over.
$ 100 million to set up a multi-million dollar Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at Nagpur. “There is now a high need for skilled personnel in the aviation sector,” said Vice Chancellor Narendra Jadhav.
While the modalities of the course are still being worked out, Jadhav said part of the course would involve basic training provided at the UoP. “We are now trying to tie-up with Boeing’s partner company in the US, so that students can spend one year at the community college in Seattle,” said Jadhav.
Students who have passed standard XII will be eligible for the course, and will be chosen on the basis of their scores in mathematics and science. Jadhav said the course was likely to start within six months. “If all goes well, the first batch of aviation mechanics course would be held between January and June 2008,” he said.
13/08/07 Pune Newsline