Francis Tuttle, OU to expand aerospace class offerings with new courses

Oklahoma has a longstanding legacy of aerospace innovation. To stay ahead of the demand, two schools are expanding their curriculum by creating additional courses designed to produce students whose expertise will further cement the state as a national leader in the industry.

Francis Tuttle Technology School is adding to its class offerings with composite materials and aircraft mechanical courses this fall. The University of Oklahoma is launching new graduate programs in aerospace and defense through the Price College of Business beginning in fall 2020.

Francis Tuttle’s Nick Powell, who serves as the aerospace workforce program developer, has overseen the technology center’s rapid growth over the years.

“We are excited to offer these new courses and expand the options available for aerospace industry workers,” Powell said. “By offering classes on the cutting edge of aerospace technology, we are ensuring that the training received will be beneficial, both for the short-term in and for the long-term future of Oklahoma’s aerospace industry.”

Composite materials such as fiberglass, carbon fiber, and Kevlar are lighter, more fuel-efficient, resistant to corrosion, and, in many cases, stronger. Francis Tuttle will incorporate the composite curriculum into a currently running program to create the Aircraft Sheet Metal & Composites Program.

“There is a need to hire even more skilled aircraft technicians with the industry continuing to grow, and new technologies developed,” Powell said. “Our goal is to create a composites curriculum that can train an individual with no aircraft composites background, and upon completion, have the qualification level for entry-level placement.”

At Francis Tuttle, the aircraft electrician course will cover high-level wire routing throughout an aircraft, tripping, pinning, soldering, electrical blueprints, hardware and fasteners, and many other aspects about aircraft electrical systems.

“Modern aircraft can have up to 200 miles of wire running throughout the craft,” Powell said. “These planes will undoubtedly need maintenance, repair, or modifications throughout their lifetimes, requiring a skilled electrician to perform the work.”

Powell and Francis Tuttle’s workforce and economic development (WED) team will work with aerospace organizations in Oklahoma to assess their workforce training needs, then quickly create targeted training programs to fill the gap. The curriculum is either specified to a company’s detailed job description/analysis or, many times, to more generic, regionally needed skills. The WED team’s primary role is to encourage economic growth by providing continuous support to the roots of the aerospace industry.

Francis Tuttle networks not only with industry professionals but also governmental and economic development bodies focused on the local aerospace industry. This allows them to operate a fluid business model that puts people where they are needed and positioned for success.

“Whether it is in the form of offering annual safety training or building a detailed training program to address changes in technology or processes, our team conducts frequent visits to industry locations and worksites to see first-hand their current operations, how these operations are changing, and determine needs for the future,” Powell said. “We are responsive, targeted, streamlined, and affordable.”

At the University of Oklahoma, the executive MBA in aerospace and defense is a one-year, 32-credit-hour degree, and the graduate certificate in aerospace and defense is a six-month, 12-credit-hour program. Both programs are designed specifically to develop the managerial and leadership skills of the A&D workforce, including those without a business education.

The curriculum provides participants the opportunity to synthesize concepts related to A&D functions and business, employ critical-thinking skills, develop business strategies, and collaborate with others in a dynamic industry environment.

“As Oklahoma’s flagship institution, one of our most important obligations to our state is to fuel its economic growth and foster discoveries,” said OU President Joseph Harroz. “These new programs will produce graduates whose expertise will further the exponential growth of the aerospace industry.”

The executive MBA includes 20 hours completed online, with an additional 12 hours of residency work. Online courses are offered in eight-week modules and are held two nights a week, from 7 to 9 p.m. Residency courses are offered in three one-week sessions, each held from Sunday to Saturday. Two sessions will take place in Oklahoma City, and the third will be held internationally as a study abroad experience. The program uses a cohort model, allowing students to build strong relationships with others in the industry.

The 12-credit-hour graduate certificate program is entirely online with live instruction. Students will choose six business courses specific to the industry in areas such as financial management, legal environment, IT and cybersecurity, managing supply chain and logistics, project management, and global A&D strategy. All coursework for the certificate is transferable to the executive MBA program, and the flexible, online delivery is tailored to the needs of those seeking the certificate while still meeting the needs of employers.

“With more than 1,100 aerospace entities currently operating in the state of Oklahoma, we are ready to launch exciting business education opportunities for the rising talent in the industry by preparing them to better perform in an exciting and rapidly changing industry,” said Eddie Edwards, executive director of graduate programs at the Price College of Business.

“Our programs are poised to lead the world in preparing the leaders necessary to ensure the enduring strength of our nation’s aerospace and defense operations,” Edwards said.

The Greater Oklahoma City area is home to 36,600 aerospace workers, according to recent data. More than 230 aerospace firms in the region produce more than $4.9 billion in goods and services locally. The statewide aerospace sector is as varied as it is large, with 67,600 workers and $8.2 billion making it the state’s second-largest industry.

This article originally appeared in the May 2020 edition of The Point.