El Camino College Compton Educational Center, announced the receipt of nearly $1 million in donated training equipment for the new Aerospace Fastener Manufacturing Technology Center. "The addition of this equipment will help train students on equipment used in the industry and meet an anticipated shortfall of skilled workers in aerospace fastener manufacturing," said Rodney Murray, Dean of Career & Technical Education at El Camino College Compton Educational Center.
The aerospace fastener manufacturing industry is a global market that generates $6.5 billion in global sales. Southern California is home to dozens of manufacturers, including three of the world’s largest. In fact, over $4.5 billion in global sales are generated from Southern California-based manufacturers and distributors. More than half of these manufacturers are located within a 20-mile radius around Compton Educational Center.
El Camino College Compton Educational Center, and the California Community Colleges Centers for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT) at El Camino College, Cerritos College, North Orange County Community College District, and Los Angeles Community College District, joined forces with the Industrial Fasteners Institute (IFI) to develop a training program for California-based aerospace fastener manufacturers in training skilled workers at the El Camino College Compton Educational Center.
The donations included major pieces of equipment and support materials needed to train students to secure future jobs in the aerospace fastener industry. Equipment donors include P.B. Fasteners of Gardena, Turncorp Inc, of Carson, Shafer Machinery in Santa Fe Springs, Bristol Industries in Brea, and Alcoa Fastening Systems in Torrance. Johnson Gage Company of Bloomfield, Connecticut, donated thread measurement equipment to the college. Other aerospace fastener manufacturers and suppliers such as The Phillips Screw Company have committed to support the center with donations as the need arises.
The aerospace industry is expecting a turnaround in the economy later in 2010 or early 2011. In addition, retirements of experienced workers means industry needs highly trained replacements for these well paying jobs. The Centers for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT) and the Industrial Fasteners Institute have formed an alliance with industry to develop the only training program in the Western United States focused on aerospace fastener manufacturing.
The alliance formed between the community colleges and industry will continue to work closely to develop the training program at the El Camino College Compton Educational Center, and collaborate with other community colleges in California to offer the training in communities that support this critical industry.
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