About AJAC

Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC) Facilitates $275,000 in Funding to Build the Inland Northwest Aerospace Technology Center (INATC)

SEATTLE, WA – February 4, 2011 – The Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC), developer of Washington State registered aerospace and advanced manufacturing apprenticeship programs, announces that it has facilitated allocation of $275,000 in funding to support capital planning for building the Inland Northwest Aerospace Technology Center (INATC) that will be located near Spokane International Airport and house aerospace technology programs offered through Spokane Community College (SCC).  AJAC also drove the distribution of $60,000 to this project in 2010 for equipment. 

This building will house a number of programs including, the SCC Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools (AMTS) Program.  AJAC has been collaboratively working with the SCC AMTS as it is one of the five Washington State AMT schools participating in the Fighting 147s project.  The Fighting 147s is an AMTS development force established by AJAC to develop one common integrated AMTS curriculum statewide.  The purpose of the Fighting 147s is to increase transferability between all five AMT schools and program accessibility to a wider range of workers, establish consistent standards and sustain the program for future generations. 

This building will also house:

  • The aerospace apprenticeship program
  • Business and industry customized training
  • Other training programs created in partnership with the Washington Aerospace Training & Research Center (WATR Center) and regional businesses and industry

Joe Dunlap, EdD, President of Spokane Community College, said, “We value the relationship we’ve developed with the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee over the last two years. Their generous $275,000 gift to the Inland Northwest Aerospace Technology Center in Spokane brings us one step closer to actual design and construction of the facility, which will enhance SCC’s ability to train the skilled technicians needed for Washington’s rapidly expanding aerospace industry.”

In addition to AJAC, the SCC is partnering with a number of other organizations to develop training, apprenticeship and education programs for the INATC, which includes:


AJAC is a statewide, state-funded, non-profit organization that develops and implements Washington State registered apprenticeship programs for aerospace and advanced manufacturing occupations to create the next generation of tradespeople.  Some of the occupations include aircraft-oriented machining, composite technicians, aircraft interiors assembly mechanic and aviation maintenance technicians (AMT).

Apprenticeships combine supervised on-the-job training experience (93%) with classroom instruction (7%) that includes theory and hands on learning.  For more information about AJAC, visit: www.ajactraining.org.  To find out more about the Fighting 147s, watch this video.

SCC is highly regarded for its career-technical programs, including specialties in health sciences; information technology; industrial, manufacturing and automotive technology; hospitality and culinary arts; building trades; public safety; and agriculture and natural resource management. The college also has a strong educational tradition in the liberal arts.  For more information about SCC, visit: http://www.scc.spokane.edu.


Contact Information:
Lisa Van Dyke
Communications Specialist
Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC)
Phone: 206-764-5832
Fax: 206-764-5329
lvandyke@ajactraining.org
www.ajactraining.org