Friday, August 28, 2020
The North Idaho College Aerospace Center will close at the end of the 2020-21 academic year.
The college’s decision to close the center is primarily for business and financial reasons and not a reflection of either the quality of the instruction and curriculum offered at the center or the success of its graduates.
“Program closures are never easy, but this one is especially difficult because of the level of excellence the programs have achieved,” said Lita Burns, NIC Vice President of Instruction.
Since the NIC Aerospace Center opened in Hayden in 2013, the many successes of the college’s aerospace programs are attributed to Patrick O’Halloran, aerospace director, and his team of faculty and staff.
“NIC is extremely grateful for the director's dedication and the faculty and staff who have contributed to the success of the students who have graduated from these programs,” Burns said. “We hope to be able to build on this foundation and look at the potential of reestablishing the programs in the future as apprenticeship opportunities.”
Several factors contributed to the decision to close the programs. Among the most critical factors are:
- An inability to consistently attract a sufficient number of students for the programs.
- The high cost of running an aviation maintenance program due to federal regulations.
- Changes in the aerospace and airline industry prior to the pandemic, and now due to the pandemic.
- NIC's inability to fund the power plant portion of the aviation maintenance program. Less than 3 percent of maintenance schools lack power plant programs and train only airframe.
- Maintaining a leased building to house the programs.
Students currently enrolled in the aerospace programs will have the opportunity to complete their studies this academic year. NIC is not accepting new students into these programs for the fall of 2020. All students applying for the programs have been notified and assisted in finding a new program or other colleges to attend.