DAYTON, Ohio (JUNE 3, 2026) – SNC, the global aerospace and national security company, and Sinclair Community College today announced the launch of the “Sinclair-SNC Academy,” establishing the Dayton region’s first employer-co-designed aviation workforce pipeline.
“This partnership between SNC and Sinclair Community College is exactly the kind of collaboration that strengthens Ohio’s workforce and keeps our state moving forward. Students succeed when employers and educators stay connected to what’s happening in the real world and work together to prepare young people for the opportunities ahead," said Lt. Governor Jim Tressel.
The partnership aims to create a sustainable stream of production-ready aerospace and aviation maintenance technicians to support maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities. Unlike traditional training agreements, the academy features a co-governed talent architecture that includes selective admissions, cohort-based learning and a direct hiring pathway for graduates who meet SNC’s readiness standards.
“The gap in skilled technicians is a big hurdle, which is why this partnership is so important," said Mark C. Williams, SNC senior vice president and Dayton site executive. "We’re working with Sinclair to make sure these technicians walk through our doors already knowing our systems inside and out. They won't just have a degree – they'll be ready to hit the floor running on day one."
The Academy’s evaluation framework was developed jointly by SNC technical directors and Sinclair’s Workforce Development leadership and Aviation Technology faculty. At the core of the Sinclair-SNC Academy is a rigorous “production-readiness” model that transforms baseline aviation skills into SNC-specific performance. Rather than reteaching broad A&P fundamentals, the Academy zeroes in on how work is performed, documented, inspected and released inside SNC’s operation to close the most significant readiness gaps. Graduates emerge “SNC Production Ready,” validated through rigorous task performance assessments, reviews and instructor evaluations mapping directly to SNC’s technician tier structure.
"The partnership with SNC is exactly what Sinclair envisions with workforce development... an opportunity for our students to walk straight onto a job site with a clear, fast track to a great career," said Steven L. Johnson, president and CEO at Sinclair. "Through the Sinclair-SNC Academy, our students get the inside track on the skills they need and a guaranteed seat at the table with one of the best employers in the region."
The three-part model combines a knowledge exam integrating FAA-standard content with SNC-specific topics and hands-on practical assessments focused on industry-aligned tasks, in addition to a standardized performance rubric guiding evaluation of candidates across documentation accuracy, time management and FOD (Foreign Object Debris) control.
In its initial phase, the Academy focuses on three core technical disciplines: structural repair and modification, airframe and powerplant systems, and avionics and electrical systems. Candidates train in a high-intensity, cohort-based environment that mirrors SNC’s Part 145 operational culture, integrating targeted instruction on SNC quality systems, documentation standards, and regulatory expectations with hands-on labs simulating real work orders, travelers, non-conformance reports and inspection gates.
The Academy is anchored in a phased, iterative framework that grows with both partners. The first phase establishes assessment infrastructure and pilots the evaluation model with an initial candidate cohort. Subsequent phases will deliver a hybrid, high-intensity onboarding bridge program; embed SNC-specific training modules permanently into Sinclair’s FAA Part 147 A&P curriculum; and explore a Department of Labor registered apprenticeship in which students are employed by SNC while completing their Sinclair degree. Formal bi-annual governance reviews and shared performance data will institutionalize continuous improvement at every stage.
“The workforce gap in aviation and aerospace is real, and it’s urgent,” said Jeffrey A. Miller, senior vice president for workforce development at Sinclair Community College. “The Sinclair-SNC Academy is designed from the ground up to be the kind of partnership that moves the needle, producing validated, credentialed, production-ready professionals.”
Future discussions will also explore structured internship programs, instructor exchanges, and joint curriculum development initiatives, offering a seamless, self-sustaining bridge between classroom learning and operational excellence. The academy plans to address a broader range of SNC job families, including engineering, quality assurance, logistics and administration.
About Sinclair Community College
Sinclair Community College offers more than 300 degree and certificate programs, including four bachelor’s degrees, in specialized and technical areas of study that are in high demand in the Dayton region. Sinclair is recognized as a local and national leader in delivering high-quality and affordable higher education. Sinclair Community College was named the top college in the country for sustained and persistent student success when it received the esteemed Leah Meyer Austin Award from Achieving the Dream. One of the oldest and best-known community colleges in the nation, Sinclair was founded in 1887 and is a board member of the prestigious League for Innovation in the Community College. Visit sinclair.edu.
About SNC
SNC is a trusted global leader in aerospace and national security. Our innovative solutions enable connected protection through command, control and communications systems, as well as ISR, cyber, electromagnetic spectrum management, and other high capabilities for national security systems across all domains – sea, land, air, space and cyber. As a longstanding leader in defense technology, SNC is at the optimum intersection of commercial, defense and non-traditional contractors. We are one of the only privately owned mid-tier A&D contractors and we pride ourselves on our ability to invest early and often to ensure mission success on or ahead of schedule. It’s part of our mission to always stay one step ahead; working on solutions today to solve the problems of tomorrow. Founded in 1963, SNC is owned by Chairwoman Eren Ozmen and CEO Fatih Ozmen.
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