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Apr. 15--Aircraft mechanics and pilots interested in getting above the competition will soon have the chance with the opening a new aviation college at Chino Airport.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which offers bachelor's and master's degrees in aviation and aerospace, is set to open a branch at the Chino Airport next month. The school recently held a two-day open house at the airport to provide enrollment information for anyone interested.
Among aviation industry employees who turned up at the event was Chino-based pilot trainer Scott Dupuis.
"I'd like to get a degree for a 9 to 5 job in the aviation business; either administration or technical management," said Dupuis, who added the college would help bring young people into the aviation industry.
The free event was designed to help Embry-Riddle determine demand for classes it plans to begin offering next month, said Rosemarie Adragna-Elliott of the Los Angeles Metro Campus.
The Chino campus will offer an undergraduate class and a graduate level class. The classes will be tailored to meet the demand expressed at the open house and through other marketing efforts, she said.
"We think that there is a need and a desire for the people who work in the aviation industry to further their education," said Adragna-Elliot, director of academic support. "The one thing that makes you recession-proof is an education."
Adragna-Elliot called the college "Harvard of
the skies," and said the name Embry-Riddle is instantly recognizable to people in the aviation industry.
"This is an opportunity for students to further their education with the No. 1 aviation education facility in the world," she said.
Students who attend the classes likely will include people already working at Chino Airport or other nearby facilities, Adragna-Elliott said.
"The educational opportunities offered by Embry-Riddle represents an enhancement to the resources available at the Chino Airport and will be a true resource for anyone interested in furthering their education," said Mike Williams, director for the Department of Airports for San Bernardino County.
Embry-Riddle's flagship campus is in Daytona Beach, Fla., and the university has a campus in Prescott, Ariz. The school's largest campus in Southern California is at the Los Angeles Metro Campus in Long Beach.
County officials are interested in airport development and growth, which regional leaders say would create hundreds of new jobs and increased revenue for the region within the next 30 years. Planned is an increased use of airport runways for corporate and commercial use, more aircraft hangars and the development of business in and around the airport.
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