MERIDIAN —
A planned expansion at Aurora Flight Sciences could mean new jobs.
A representative from the aircraft manufacturer was on East Mississippi Community College's Golden Triangle campus recently interviewing students who have completed manufacturing skills and composite materials courses through the school’s Workforce Services division. Aurora, which specializes in build-to print and design-build services to a variety of customers, is planning an expansion that could create more than 200 jobs over the next five years.
Carol Lee, human resources manager for Aurora, said the company is looking for qualified candidates in multiple locations, but EMCC is at the top of the list.
“EMCC has manufacturing certification classes, but its composite technician class is the one that really fits what we do. That class lays the foundation so when new employees come into our organization they’ve already got the basic knowledge necessary to learn to perform the job,” she said.
“Composites” are a class of synthetic materials used in the construction of aircraft, such as carbon fiber, that exhibit the strength of heavy metals at a fraction of the weight. Of the multiple buildings Aurora intends to construct at its Columbus plant in the coming years, one will house its autoclave, a 40-foot oven used to cure large composite structures.
Suzette Suggs of Noxubee County was one of the first Workforce students to be interviewed by Aurora. The former customer service representative worked in optical retail before being laid off. She began Workforce classes in 2010 and has taken four courses at EMCC, including manufacturing skills and composites. She said it would “blow her mind” to work for a company as technologically advanced as Aurora, and she isn’t intimidated by the idea of her work keeping people safe in the air.
“It would probably sharpen my edge as far as how concerned I am and how conscious I am of the things I’m doing,” she said.
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Aurora plans expansion, interviews EMCC students
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