MIDLAND, Texas — Midland College's Aviation Maintenance Technology Program's first set of classes kicked of in January of 2023. Since reopening its doors, Instructor and Program Chair Chad Farris said enrollment has been looking good, with 28 students enrolled.
"I think our enrollment shows that there is a need for this program and I hope that we can continue and keep it going," Farris said.
The College's Aviation Maintenance Technology Program has reached all ages.
"I am 17 years old. I started this program at 16," Caleb Richards said. "It’s just been a super fulfilling program. The instructors are awesome they’re super to the point. I feel like I struck gold just finding this program so just the whole thing is really really awesome."
While also allowing others dreams to take flight.
"I am in pursuit of my airplane power plant license issued by the FAA and it’s been a dream of mine for 40 years," Douglas Cox said. "I’ve been retired for a few years so it gave me that opportunity to seek that AMP and Midland College had the best program that we found nationwide and I’m a resident of Colorado so I moved done here temporarily just to attend this school."
Student Slade Smith said when he heard the aviation program was coming back, he did not want to miss out.
"When this program was revived I jumped at the first opportunity that I could [be in] a very blessed opportunity," Smith said.
Student Christian Farris also did not want to miss out.
"There’s not very many of us and there’s a very high demand for us all around the world. There’s not a place you can go where they wouldn’t hire you and you wouldn’t get decent pay out of it," Farris said. "Over the time that I’ve been here I really have found a love for aviation mechanics and I frankly don’t know where I would be without this program.”
The reopening of this program has even allowed those who may be underrepresented in the world of aviation.
"As a 3-percenter female being in this program has been nothing but welcoming faces and opportunities being apart of Midland College and aviation as a whole," Samantha Vela said. "Just each and every one of us has an opportunity to be apart of not only the history that we’re making here in Midland but the growing aviation community around the world."
This program has even come as a surprise for students who initially just saw this as a class.
"I’m really happy I joined this program because I’ve met Caleb and he’s helped me out a lot," Ryan McMiller said.
Student Carter Calloway took a chance on the program and he was satisfied after all.
"I found this program out of curiosity and I’ve ended up really loving it. I’m around some amazing people giving some great mentoring," Calloway said.