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TODAY'S AVIATION workforce has a pivotal role in preparing the aviation workers of tomorrow. NCAT INDUSTRY OUTLOOK TIM WELSH is executive director, Aviation Industry Services, Wichita Area Technical College. Dr. Welsh has contributed to numerous national workforce development initiatives including US News and World Report, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and the Aspen Institute. He served as a trustee for the Manufacturing Institute at the National Association of Manufacturers, and co-chaired the first National STEM Innovation Task Force. Recently, his development of innovative partnerships with educational institutions and industry was featured in Inside Higher Education. Contributors: James Hall, dean of aviation technologies, Wichita Area Technical College, and Dr. Ian Roark, vice president , Workforce Development, Pima Community College. 26 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016 AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY • Sustain the new enterprise with membership and sponsorship invest- ment options and support for regular trust-based forums to exchange best practices in talent management. Creating a supply chain of educational institutions poses specific, but surmount- able, challenges for educators — the pri- mary 'suppliers' of talent. James Hall, WATC's Dean of Aviation Technologies, leads WATC's solution design work for its talent supply chain projects with employ- ers. He observed that colleges can be suc- cessful talent providers if they work "to help bring colleges and businesses togeth- er to provide the exact training required by employers." "Many educational institutions out there really don't have a good connection to the industry and what (the aviation industry) needs from their students." — Daniel Wolfe, National Business Aviation Association, Corporate Aviation Management Committee Member, 2016. An increasing number of colleges and universities think it's worth the effort. Joining a talent supply chain can rede- fine the meaning of 'community' for community colleges in ways very benefi- cial to students. Dr. Ian Roark, vice pres- ident for Workforce Development at Pima Community College (and one of NCAT's talent sup- ply chain members), agrees. "We're fully on board with the national talent sourcing model NCAT is developing," he notes. "While most of our students are employed locally or regionally upon program completion, we'll always have a percentage of our student body inter- ested in pursuing careers outside our immediate community. Participating in the NCAT talent supply chain helps us offer these opportunities as well as expand the talent pool for our own employment base." NCAT is researching similar initiatives to help shape its plan. Germany, long- known for assuring industry pools of future talent by mandating apprentice- ships, is now home to the new Hamburg Centre of Aviation Training (HCAT). What's notable about HCAT is how well educators and employers collaborate to develop curricula. Training is truly job relevant. Expanded capacity created by efficient talent supply chains drives growth and value by supplying reliable talent to employers. In January 2016 WATC began market testing of its talent supply chain. Input was invited (and continues now) from a cross-section of leaders from individual employers, national industry associa- tions, certification providers, and com- munity and technical colleges. Responses have been overwhelmingly favorable. • Employers are notably enthusiastic about a third-party talent provider that could help source talent from educational institutions. • Educational institutions see opportu- nities to expand their aviation pro- grams, offer more career pathways for students, and gain access to more industry demand for their capabilities. • National industry associations express interest in partnering with the new tal- ent supply chain to help them expand their services to their members. • All respondents agree they would ben- efit with access to a national source of best practices as they work to improve their organization's talent fulfillment capabilities. NCAT and its supply chain members believe that this innovative approach to talent management for employers will help to sustain America's competitive advantage in aviation. Inquiries are wel- comed and additional information about the NCAT Talent Supply Chain may be found at www.watc.edu/ncat.