Aerospace
North Seattle College Offers Training in High-demand, High-wage Aerospace Manufacturing Careers
Washington state is a leader in the aerospace industry. Nearly one in five aerospace jobs are in Washington, with over 94,000 workers in the state’s core aerospace segment alone. Over 54 percent of these jobs are in manufacturing/production and engineering. The hiring outlook for these positions is strong, with the Boeing Company alone anticipating the need to fill up to 30,000 jobs in the Puget Sound region in the next five years.
Both the federal government and the state of Washington recognize the need to expand training in the high-demand, high-wage aerospace field and have awarded North with funds that have made our labs state-of-the-art, along with a curriculum tailored to meet the challenges of jobs in the aerospace manufacturing industry.
North offers aerospace training in the following fields:
Aviation Electronics (Avionics)
North offers two certificates to train in the field of Avionics. The Aviation Electronics I: Wire Assembly Certificate prepares students for entry-level work as a wire assembly technician. The Aviation Electronics II: Electronics Technician Certificate trains students to become avionics technicians. Boeing has identified North as having electrical curriculum “already aligned with identified Boeing skills.”
Electronics Technology and Electronics Engineering
Gain a broad understanding of the field of electronics with one of two associate degrees. The two-year Electronics Technology degree provides a broad foundation in electronics to work in a number of aerospace manufacturing positions as an electronics technician. The two-year Electronics Engineering Technology degree prepares students for the transfer into a four-year university BS program.
Industrial Power and Control
Degrees in this pathway focus on complex electrical and electronic systems that control machinery, automation and modern manufacturing processes. Specifics include training in programmable logic controllers (PLCs), fluid power, robotics, fiber optics, and AC/DC rotating equipment. This program prepares students to be able to repair, maintain, and install electrical control and manufacturing systems.
Mechatronics
Greater speed, precision and efficiency achieved through automation technology has fueled the demand for technicians with this broad, integrated knowledge base required to install, maintain and troubleshoot increasingly complex systems. Mechatronics students complete a certificate in Industrial Automation and Electronic Controls at North Seattle College. Students can choose to continue their training at Shoreline Community College, completing a certificate in Industrial Maintenance Robotics and Manufacturing. Certificates earned at both North Seattle College and Shoreline Community College stack into the Mechatronics degree.
Advanced Design for Manufacturing
Learn the basics of design and two of the Computer Aided Design (CAD) programs—SolidWorks and CATIA—which aerospace manufacturers use to design tools and parts and to construct rapid prototypes for 3D printing.