MIDLAND, Texas — When Midland College announced it had decided to close down its Aviation Maintenance Technology program, many members of the community were not happy.
“I was shocked and very disappointed,” said Ed Anderson, who graduated from the program years ago.
“Because they have a fabulous facility, the program is 31 years old. It’s simply something that I love and needs to stay here," said Anderson.
His love for the program stems from it being vital asset to not only students but the community as a whole.
"The Permian Basin as well as the City of Midland, our airport and all the facilities here that maintain aircraft need this program because this program supplies the aircraft maintenance technicians for all those folks," Anderson said.
"If you fly in and out of Midland you are associated with aviation because none of the carriers here have staff AMTs, so whenever they have a problem they got to have those problems resolved locally and they have to rely on the existing maintenance facilities at our airport," said Anderson.
Anderson also says the AMT program also kept technicians in the Basin to help the ongoing shortage.
"I met a lot of students going though the program and it varied from just out of high school to people who were retired but wanted something to do and for the most part the younger generation stayed here to work locally," Anderson said.
Which is why he won't stop his fight for the college's AMT program.
"I’m going to keep hitting this drum until the trustees reinstate this program," said Anderson.
At this time however Midland College still plans to discontinue the program in August.