Thrush Aircraft visits South Georgia Tech to recruit skilled workers
Three representatives from Thrush Aircraft, LLC, in Albany, GA, visited South Georgia Technical College in Americus, GA, seeking skilled workers for their aircraft manufacturing facility. SGTC representatives from Aviation Maintenance Technology, Aircraft Structural Technology, Avionics Technology, Precision Machining and Manufacturing, and Welding along with students participated in the employee recruitment visit.
Steven Jocelyn, Vice President of Manufacturing for Thrush Aircraft, Inc.; Kimberly Taylor, Thrush Human Resources Director; and Charles Russell, Jr., Supervisor for Thrush, met with SGTC Vice President of Academic Affairs David Kuipers and Cynthia Carter, SGTC Director of Career Services as well as instructors from the different program areas to discuss partnering with SGTC on hiring skilled technical workers.
“I am a believer in technical education,” said Steve Jocelyn. “I am a product of technical education and I know how valuable you are to this community and to our country. We are here to see how we can collaborate with South Georgia Technical College to get the highly trained skilled workforce that we as a business and industry need to be successful.”
Thrush Aircraft operates a number of shops at its facility in Albany, Ga. and a significant portion of their aircrafts are manufactured in-house. Thrush is hiring individuals with skills from fabricating and machining raw materials into parts, molding fiberglass components, welding subassemblies and fuselages, assembly of components, small item and large component paint, all the way up to wing and aircraft assembly operations.
“One of our key needs right now is for individuals trained in molding sheet metal and riveting,” explained Jocelyn. “The skills that you are teaching in aircraft structural lines up with our needs and we have openings.”
In addition to the skilled trained workers, HR Director Kimberly Taylor also stressed that Thrush is interested in individuals that have the needed entry-level technical skills but also have good work ethics and soft skills such as conflict resolution, positive attitudes, attention to detail, and good attendance.
SGTC students or graduates who are interested in applying for positions with Thrush can email resumes to humanresources@thrushaircraft.com or contact the main office at 229-883-1440.
Thrush is a preferred aircraft by several thousand owners and is sold locally, nationally, and internationally. For decades, Thrush has been building the safest, best-performing aircraft in the world. Thrush is a small company with big capabilities – all backed by performance, which is a direct result of the dedicated and talented staff.
South Georgia Technical College has been training aviation maintenance technicians for nearly 75 years. It is one of only two technical colleges in Georgia with on-campus housing and offers students the “Complete College Experience” with over 200 associate degree, diploma, and technical certificate of credit programs.
For more information about South Georgia Technical College visit the website: www.southgatech.edu or visit the campuses in Americus and Cordele. Students can be job ready within eight weeks to two years and SGTC has a 99% job placement rate for graduates. Financial aid is available.
The college is currently registering students for an eight-week summer semester. Classes begin May 25th and will end July 28th. Students can apply, enroll, and register now. An in-person registration day is set for Tuesday, May 24th. To apply visit the website or contact the admissions office in Americus at 229-931-2394 or in Cordele, 229-271-4040. Fall semester begins August 18th.