Growth of the aviation sector is prompting Santa Rosa County School Disrict and Locklin Technial College to look at ways to expand, including creating an aviation maintenance program. Locklin, which has 19 career training programs, has run out of space at its facility on Berryhill Road, and local advocates and a group of stakeholders are working to find a solution that would allow the school and its programs to grow. The aviation maintenance program would accommodate growth in the field, particularly with Leonardo Helicopters bringing a new support facility to the Whiting Aviation Park in Milton. That facility promises to bring up to 50 jobs to the community with more growth expected. Typically, Locklin can hold about 24 students in its day programs at a time, but Charlin Knight, the workforce education director, said the school is looking into offering an evening aviation maintenance program as well. Local advocates with the Stewart Street Project, a grassroots group in Milton, first proposed moving Locklin to a 62,000-square-foot vacant facility on that street. The possible move is still in the exploratory phase. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 05/27/21)
NEWS: A digest of aerospace, defense and technology news from the Gulf Coast I-10 region
