If you don’t abbreviate, it is quite a mouthful. Suffice to say, since I attended one of the first NCATT meeting years ago in Daytona Beach at ERAU, this organization has taken a foothold in our industry and I think it is for the best in the long run.
When we first met, NCATT was newly formed and being run by Floyd Curtis of Tarrant County College in Fort Worth. At the meeting we were divided into groups according to expertise or experience and stakeholders. We were informed that the National Science Foundation would fund the initial development of NCATT and further awards would be granted as its mission achieved successes.
Since that initial meeting NCATT has received several grants from NSF and developed standards and testing for Aircraft Electronics Technician and Foreign Objects Elimination certifications. The AET is its primary certification. In its mission statement it indicates that it promotes professionalism by establishing and maintaining industry-identified and endorsed technician education and skill standards, which culminate in certification upon satisfactory completion of an approved exam.
As of this writing more than 400 AETs and 500 FOEs have been awarded. Tests can be taken at one of the more than 1,300 Laser Grade Test Centers. I believe the cost is $70 per test, but don’t quote me.
NCATT has too many industry, educational, and trade association partners to list here. All are easily recognizable names. Additionally NCATT has accredited some eight education institutions to date as NCATT accredited training providers. Listings for each of the previous can be found online at NCATT.org.
Some of the benefits NCATT sees for the A&P include: (1) a recognized career ladder for professional long-term development; (2) identifiable accredited training; (3) assurance that training meets industry and educational standards; and (4) certifications evidence competency in certain knowledge and skill standards.
NCATT is in the process of developing standards and certifications in conjunction with industry and educational institutions for other knowledge and skill sets. I am impressed by their progress because the certification issue is a sensitive and hot topic in our business. But NCATT sees this much like the auto industry where certifications for various areas of maintenance have been the norm for years.
The question is: do you and will you support this kind of effort, which as a matter of fact, may be similarly duplicated by others in the industry? Will the achievement of certification in various disciplines such as electrical installations/integrations and mechanical installations/integrations (courses in the hopper) enhance your position and fortune? What do you think?
