Title
From the Director, Department of Transportation and Public Works, and the Airport Director submitting an informational report regarding the 2011 Aviation Careers Education (ACE) Summer Jobs Program. (INFORMATIONAL ONLY UNLESS OTHERWISE DIRECTED BY THE COMMITTEE)
Body
POLICY
Informational only.
BACKGROUND
For more than 20 years, Milwaukee County’s General Mitchell International Airport (GMIA) has participated in the Aviation Careers Education (ACE) youth summer jobs program in cooperation with the State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) Bureau of Aeronautics and Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). The mission of ACE is to provide minority students with work experience, job skill development and exposure to career opportunities within the aviation industry.
In 2011, 35 students were selected for internships. The students participate in a two day Leadership Training Program and then start their jobs, where they work eight hours a day, five days a week for seven weeks. Employers this summer were the 128th Air Refueling Wing; AirTran; GMIA Landside Operations; Frontier Airlines; Paradies Gift Shops; Signature Flight Support / ASIG and TSA (Transportation Security Administration).
The types of jobs performed by the ACE interns are many and varied. For example, at an airline, they may be assigned to the ramp (where they handle bags), customer service (ticket counter and gate); aircraft grooming (preparing the interior of the plane for passengers) and administration (basic payroll duties - entering employee hours, shift swaps, etc.). At Signature/ASIG, they may refuel planes or staff the pilots’ courtesy area. At the 128th, interns work in headquarters; vehicle maintenance; the warehouse and air crew fight support.
ACE identifies candidates by working with school counselors, teachers, and administrators. Students are selected based on essays, interviews, attendance records, school behavior and interest in aviation. Participants must be minority students attending Milwaukee Public Schools, have a desire to explore the aviation industry, have at least a 2.0 GPA, and be socio-economically disadvantaged.
ACE interns must be at least 16 years old, and may participate in the program through the year in which they graduate from high school. Approximately 95% of eligible students return to the program. The interns have a LTE (Limited Term Employee) status with the Wisconsin DOT, and start at $7.75 an hour, with a small raise each year they are in the program.
As part of their exposure to careers in aviation, the students’ internship experience also includes an air traffic control tower tour; state DOT airplane ride and a field trip to the EAA AirVenture.
RECOMMENDATION
Informational only.
Prepared by: Pat Rowe, Public Relations & Marketing Manager
Approved by:
_______________________ _____________________
Jack Takerian, C. Barry Bateman
Director, Transportation & Public Works Airport Director
Cc: Lee Holloway, Chairman, County Board of Supervisors
H:\Private\Clerk Typist\Aa01\TPW&T 11\Sept 2011\REPORT - INFO_2011 ACE Program.doc