{"id":41534,"date":"2026-03-05T12:49:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T17:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mdcthereporter.com\/staging\/8357\/?p=41534"},"modified":"2026-03-05T12:49:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T17:49:00","slug":"miami-dade-college-launches-florida-center-for-aviation-and-aerospace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mdcthereporter.com\/staging\/8357\/miami-dade-college-launches-florida-center-for-aviation-and-aerospace\/","title":{"rendered":"Miami Dade College Launches Florida Center for Aviation And Aerospace"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Miami Dade College launched the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdc.edu\/aerospace\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Florida Center for Aviation and Aerospace<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a new organizational structure designed to integrate <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">existing and emerging programs in these fields at the College<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s expected to be inaugurated by Fall 2026, and aims to provide a single point of entry for students<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> seeking interdisciplinary training across aviation and aerospace sectors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The initiative, which will include programs from the Eig\u2011Watson School of Aviation, the School of Technology and the School of Continuing Education and offer a new Aerospace Technician Associate in Science degree, as well as a new college credit certificate in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), was announced at the\u00a0 College\u2019s Jan. 20 District Board of Trustees meeting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt\u2019s a great evolution and hybridization of education, so students get the kind of personalized pathway they need and want,\u201d said Homestead Campus Interim President Beverly Moore-Garcia. \u201cThey don\u2019t have to leave home to get this training.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more than six decades, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdc.edu\/aviation\/about\/default.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eig\u2011Watson School of Aviation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has trained pilots, air traffic controllers, dispatchers and logistics professionals in South Florida.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the aviation program\u2019s students, Ngatendwe Cleopas, moved from Zimbabwe to the United States at age 17 to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He is currently pursuing an associate\u2019s degree in Professional Pilot Technology while being a certified flight instructor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis program has strengthened my passion for aviation by improving my skills and knowledge,\u201d said Cleopas, who will be graduating in spring. \u201c It has shown me how structured opportunities can turn passion into professional readiness, helping ensure that the next generation of aviators is well equipped to meet future aviation demands.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The School\u2019s legacy continues through long\u2011standing facilities at the Homestead Campus, Miami Executive Airport and a site adjacent to Miami International Airport, which will remain central to the new center.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition, the center will expand to North Campus and Opa\u2011locka.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Renovations are now underway at North Campus to convert former computer labs into instructional spaces focused on the Aerospace Technology Program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe campus is becoming a key hub in MDC\u2019s aerospace strategy,\u201d said North Campus President Fermin Vazquez. \u201cStudents now can have a career in what they desire\u2014whether it\u2019s being part of a space program or an aviation company.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will also provide students with hands-on apprenticeships and direct job placement through collaborations with private sector companies such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aarcorp.com\/en\/about\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allen Aircraft Radio<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014a global aviation service company that is currently expanding operations by building a new aircraft hangar.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In partnership with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bittschool.com\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Barrington Irving Technical Training School<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and supported by Florida Job Growth Grant of $4.9 million, MDC will establish an Aviation Maintenance Technician Program at the Opa Locka Airport, expected to begin operating by June 2026. The College also invested more than $2 million in construction and furniture expenses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Center arrives at a critical moment for the aviation workforce as the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.faa.gov\/about\/office_org\/headquarters_offices\/afn\/offices\/finance\/offices\/office-financial-labor-analysis\/plans\/controller-workforce.pdf\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Federal Aviation Administration<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reported nationwide shortages of air traffic controllers and an increase in demand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe aerospace field is in huge demand, and the future is only going to get better,\u201d Vazquez said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><i>Click<\/i><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/mdcthereporter.us19.list-manage.com\/subscribe?u=4fc6146412415baee32007fd7&amp;id=b5cd3712dc\"><i> here<\/i><\/a><\/span><i> to subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, The Hammerhead. For news tips, contact us at mdc.thereporter@gmail.com.\u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Miami Dade College launched the Florida Center for Aviation and Aerospace, a new organizational structure designed to integrate existing and emerging programs in these fields at the College.\u00a0 It\u2019s expected to be inaugurated by Fall 2026, and aims to provide a single point of entry for students seeking interdisciplinary training across aviation and aerospace sectors. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13482667,"featured_media":41525,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,2748,2751],"tags":[3855],"class_list":{"0":"post-41534","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"category-north-campus","9":"category-homestead-campus","10":"tag-the-florida-center-for-aviation-and-aerospace"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Miami Dade College Launches Florida Center for Aviation And Aerospace<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Florida Center for Aviation and Aerospace will expand existing programs in the College\u2019s aerospace and aviation programs and offer new academic programs.\" \/>\n<meta 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