Aims Community College in Colorado celebrated National Aviation Day, August 19, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its new, state-of-the-art Aircraft Maintenance Training Center (AMTC).
This is a soft opening for the nearly 60,000 square foot facility. Renovations are still underway and classes are set to begin for the new Aircraft Maintenance Technician program in January 2026. Beginning in the fall, Aims will offer AMTC tours for prospective students.
The aviation industry is facing an urgent shortage of aircraft technicians. The FAA and industry data forecast a need for 25,000 more technicians in the U.S. by 2028 and globally more than 700,000 over the next 30 years.
“We are launching our training center and Aircraft Maintenance Technician program at a critical juncture,” said Dr. Leah L. Bornstein, Aims Community College CEO and President. “Here in Colorado, with a booming aerospace sector, this facility positions Aims to be a solution provider for one of aviation’s greatest workforce challenges.”
This state-of-the-art facility includes:
- Aircraft repair hangars with live aircraft for hands-on training
- Avionics, hydraulics and electronics testing labs
- Shops for composites, brakes, tires, paint, parts and more
- Spaces to support simulators and evolving technologies
- Overhead viewing from the mezzanine catwalk across the hangar
- Storage for equipment, mechanical parts and tools
- Classrooms
- Faculty offices and workplaces
- Conference room
- Student lounge, open study area and breakroom
- Outdoor patio with stunning views of the Rocky Mountains
- ADA-accessible entries, locker rooms, gender-specific restrooms and single-occupancy all-gender bathrooms
- In-house aircraft fleet maintenance space to provide vital support for Aims flight programs
With the start of the aviation mechanic technician program, Aims unites all four essential pillars of aviation, piloting, air traffic control, unmanned aircraft systems and aircraft maintenance, offering a complete, hands-on pathway for students to specialize in every critical facet of the industry. The AMTC is within walking distance of the Aims Flight Training Center, which opened its doors in 2019.
“This investment will help ensure that the planes that fly our families, our goods, and our emergency services are maintained by highly trained professionals,” said Marilyn Schock, Chair of the Aims Board of Trustees. “That’s the power of community colleges like Aims: they meet industry needs while creating pathways for individuals to transform their own lives.”
Students in the Aircraft Maintenance Technician program are eligible for federal financial aid, veteran education benefits and industry scholarships. Get more information on the program at aims.co/aircraft-tech.
