BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WBOY) — Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Regional Jet (MHIRJ) saw its first-ever cohort graduate from its Structures Technicians Academy at the North Central West Virginia Airport Thursday afternoon.

According to a release from MHIRJ, nearly 20 in-house trained technicians are expected to graduate Thursday evening with “specialized training in aviation maintenance.”

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“We anticipate a substantial increase in customer demand over the next three years,
leading to a greater need for skilled workers. This training program presents an opportunity for
the company to expand operations, attract new customers, and diversify,” President and COO Ismail Mokabel said.

VP of Operations Charles Comtois said that the program has no tuition or prerequisites in order to enroll and that students are paid while being trained. He also said that after graduating, students are guaranteed a job on-site and that they become apprentices until they’re able to obtain a repairman’s certificate.

The academy has the goal of training 100 new technicians between May 2024 and May 2025 in its eight-week program that recruits local trainees. To learn more about the academy, you can visit its website.