Top News
Most Read
Most E-mailed
E-mail Article
Print Article
Oklahoma's Aerospace Industry Needs More Skilled Labor
Schools in Oklahoma can't train aerospace workers fast enough to fill the ranks at the state's growing aerospace companies.
Industry leaders gathered with CareerTech educators last Friday to discuss ways to address a shortage of skilled workers. As the aerospace industry sees an upswing, the need for sheet metal workers and aircraft technicians is growing. But when the need for workers outpaces the supply, industry growth stops.
"We're turning work away because we don't have enough quality manpower to get it done," said Anita Brown, AAR human resources director. "That's how desperate we are."
Aerospace companies are in need of sheet metal workers who repair aircraft structures and drive rivets into to airplanes. Most of the work done in Oklahoma is maintenance, repair and overhaul of older aircraft.
Tinker Air Force Base's main job is to repair military planes and keep them in the sky longer. In Tulsa, business focuses on keeping commercial airplanes in good shape.
The increased demand for workers is going unmet. Most jobs at Oklahoma's aerospace companies require skilled training. Only a handful require a college degree; most jobs start at about $11.50 an hour.
