2nd cohort begins Aircraft Mechanics Assistant Program at UPR Aguadilla
Twenty-one students recently began the Aircraft Mechanics Assistant Program at the Institute of Aeronautics and Aerospace of Puerto Rico, affiliated with the University of Puerto Rico’s (UPR) Aguadilla campus, during a welcoming event at its facilities.
The program is implemented through the One Stop Career Center of Puerto Rico and the Avanzando 2 Good Jobs Program, subsidized by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, in collaboration with UPR Aguadilla and Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico, an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services provider.
The Aircraft Mechanics Assistant Program, also known as the Apprenticeship Program: Pre-Apprenticeship Phase I, aims to develop relevant competencies in students for the aviation industry and will award a certificate of contact hours to its participants.
“It consists of three academic sessions, each lasting 10 months: The first group started in August 2023, the second group [started] now (January 2024), and the third group will begin in August 2024,” said Carmen Cosme, executive director of One Stop Career Center. “It allows participants to acquire basic knowledge and practical skills in various areas related to aircraft inspection, maintenance and repair.”
Meanwhile, UPR Aguadilla Chancellor Sonia Rivera-González said: “Participating students will receive employability skills and direct support. With UPR Aguadilla, they will cover the theoretical part, and after completing the required contact hours, they will be interviewed and evaluated by Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico for the opportunity to undergo practical training at their facilities as aircraft mechanics assistants.”
The program is free, and interested candidates must meet certain criteria, including being 18 years or older, bilingual and presenting a high school diploma and transcript of credits. Classes are scheduled Monday to Friday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
