Senate Bill 432 would create an aerospace training facility which could be accessed by students from the entire state. Senator Adam Pugh’s bill made it through its committee hurdles this week and is now set to be heard on the Senate floor.
Pugh said the bill stems from officials at the state’s Air Force bases saying there is a growing need for specific skill sets in aviation. The aerospace industry has an economic impact of $44 billion in Oklahoma, providing more than 200,000 jobs with the average salary of $73,300.
Having the training facility under the state’s CareerTech system would help feed the industry’s need for a trained workforce.
“Creating a state aerospace training facility is a logical and necessary step in continuing to support the rapid expansion of the industry in Oklahoma,” said Pugh. “The increasing visibility of aviation and aerospace in Oklahoma has not gone unnoticed by military officials and aerospace executives, as industry leaders continue to push for broadened job training opportunities to fill hundreds of available jobs in the aviation industry across the state.”
Pugh adds Senate Bill 432 is a tool to help diversify Oklahoma’s economy and allow students from all over the state access to the training being demanded by the industry.
“This would be unique from the perspective that students from all four corners of the state and everywhere in between would have the same learning opportunities, whether through mobile distance learning or in-residence training. Hands-on materials could be packed up and transported around the state as needed to facilitate those students engaged in distance learning,” Pugh said. “Building this center allows the state to maximize the competitive advantages that already exist in Oklahoma’s aerospace industry. Cultivating the skill sets needed in the aerospace industry will help to drive better jobs, stronger economic growth and higher tax revenues for Oklahoma.”
Pugh also is seeking partnerships to help provide funding and resources for the training facility.
