Monaca, PA – Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) has been awarded $285,441 through the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE). The funding will support CCBC’s efforts to address critical workforce gaps in the aviation industry across 20 Appalachian counties in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
“In collaboration with workforce boards, flight schools, and educational partners, CCBC will build on its nationally recognized Aviation Pathway model to prepare students for in-demand careers as pilots and air traffic controllers,” said Dr. John Higgs, senior dean of the James M. Johnson School of Aviation Sciences.
According to Statista, global airline shortages are projected to reach 50,000 pilots by 2025, while the National Air Traffic Controllers Association reports that the FAA is short of nearly 4,000 air traffic controllers.
“CCBC has long been a leader in aviation education, and this investment allows us to expand that leadership and reach. By creating stronger pathways to high-demand aviation careers, we are helping students Start Strong, Stay Strong, and Finish Stronger, while also fueling economic growth in the Appalachian regions of Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina,” said Higgs.
CCBC and its partners will contribute $323,305 in matching funds to the project. Partners include Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board, St. Vincent College, Southern Alleghenies Workforce Development Board, USAeroFlight, Piedmont Flight, High Flight Academy, and many others across the three-state region.
The project aligns with ARC’s goal of creating stronger multistate collaborations to build resilient economies across Appalachia. To date, ARC has invested $157 million in 56 collaborative, multistate projects through ARISE.
Today, CCBC’s James M. Johnson School of Aviation Sciences has a national reputation for its high quality and high standards that include placing an air traffic controller in every tower in the country; putting a pilot in the cockpit of every major airline; partnering with 22 flight providers in PA and the southeast to offer online piloting training, and being the only Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) school to operate its own tower.
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ABOUT COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF BEAVER COUNTY (CCBC)
Community College of Beaver County is empowering communities through education. CCBC offers 10 pathways to success in aviation, business, criminal justice, education, health sciences, liberal studies, STEM, industrial technology, college here and now for high school students, and continuing education and workforce development for lifelong learners. Students can earn degrees, certificates, and micro-credentials and be career-ready or continue their educational journey through premier transfer agreements. CCBC is an Achieving the Dream Leader College, named Top Colleges in Pennsylvania, is a GI Jobs Magazine Military-Friendly School, and is ranked Best in the Valley by our community. Learn more at ccbc.edu, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
ABOUT THE APPALACHIAN REGIONAL COMMISSION (ARC)
The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development entity of the federal government and 13 state governments, focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest in building community capacity and strengthening economic growth in Appalachia to help the region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.