Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      David Garretson, a second-year student at Iowa Western Community College, performs a general lubrication of the zerks on the nose strut of the nose wheel at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., Jan. 25, 2016. Garretson is one of three students from IWCC who have been chosen to intern with the 55th Maintenance Squadron, providing valuable experience and a gateway to Defense Department jobs upon graduation. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Rachel Hammes)David Garretson, a second-year student at Iowa Western Community College, performs a general lubrication of the zerks on the nose strut of the nose wheel at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., Jan. 25, 2016. Garretson is one of three students from IWCC who have been chosen to intern with the 55th Maintenance Squadron, providing valuable experience and a gateway to Defense Department jobs upon graduation. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Rachel Hammes)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Offutt gives students a chance at mechanicsPublished Jan. 27, 2016
                    
                    By Senior Airman Rachel Hammes
                    
                    
                    55th Wing Public Affairs
            **OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AFNS) --**Students studying airframe and power plant disciplines at Iowa Western Community College have a unique opportunity to intern with the 55th Maintenance Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base.Twelve years ago, the squadron cut roughly 300 military slots and replaced them with approximately 150 civilian slots in a move to save the Air Force money. The squadron hired their civilians from a pool filled predominately with retired Air Force service members; that pool has been getting smaller."Basically, about nine months ago we were having trouble hiring civilians to fill slots that were coming open," said Wayne Welter, the aircraft maintenance flight chief."What we've been trying to do is recruit across the nation, but one of the issues is we are one of the lower-paying areas because our economy is really good here in the Midwest," Welter added. "It's hard to get people to move from the East and West Coasts to come here and take a drop in pay."By recruiting from IWCC near Offutt AFB, the 55th MXS is able to give students experience, and there is an added bonus after graduation."We give them an opportunity while they're in school, to come over here and get paid, get job experience,” Welter said.  “If we have open slots once they graduate they can be hired. It's great for us, because they don't have to be trained and they have the experience already. They can come right in, and we can continue working without skipping a beat."Even if the squadron doesn't have any open positions, the students are qualified for any Defense Department aircraft mechanic position."Trying to get into a government job without a military background is hard, but this internship was a nice gateway for that," said David Garretson, a second-year student in the program. He has been interning with the squadron since October.Students ideally begin the program, known as the Grow Your Own Mechanic Program, in their first year. They compete amongst themselves for the six slots. If chosen, they start working 10 hours a week. As they grow more proficient, their hours are increased. Students must have 642 hours upon graduation to be hired."The first priority is their schooling, and we don't want to interfere with that," Welter said.Even outside of the DOD, this internship provides students with valuable experience, he said."They will be qualified mechanics once they graduate, but the problem is people are looking for experience," Welter said. "Just because you have the book knowledge doesn't mean you'll be able to find a job. Most of their training too, is on the smaller Cessna planes, which are completely different from what we have here. They're getting valuable experience they might not get otherwise."There are currently three students in the program, but Welter said he hopes to bring the number up to six."We have a full force right now, but any day we could have three or four retirements, or someone could be married to a military member who PCSs (permanent change of station) to another base," Welter said. "The more we can train, the better we can be down the road."By recruiting from close to home, Welter said he hopes to encourage the students to stay close to home."I think it'll encourage people to stay in the area, because if a job opens, it's a great job to have," Garretson said. "A lot of the guys who work in this shop were in the military for several years beforehand, and for many of them this was their first base. They decided to work the civilian side after leaving the military, which says a lot for the area."school 



college 



maintenance 



ACC 



intern 



training 



Offutt AFB Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF Kendall visits Bangor ANG Base
                    
                    Vice President Harris congratulates USAFA Class of ‘24
                    
                    Senate confirms Melissa Dalton as next Under Secretary of the Air Force
                    
                    ‘One Team, One Fight’: SecAF visits Keesler AFB
                    
                    SecAF Kendall experiences VISTA of future flight test at Edwards AFBInnovation
                AFSFC reaches final phase of fielding Model Defender gear
                    
                    Around the Air Force: PCS Allowances, Air Task Forces, All-Volunteer Force
                    
                    AFIMSC focuses I-WEPTAC topics on GPC solutions
                    
                    Optimizing AI, Air University hosts Artificial Intelligence Symposium
                    
                    AFIMSC tools deliver data-driven solutions across DAFMAJCOM News
                AFMC to expand AcqDemo workforce
                    
                    AFMC empowers small businesses for Air Force reoptimization
                    
                    Acquisition Instructor Course Class 25A open for nominations
                    
                    Air Guard leaders host 2024 Wing Leader Conference
                    
                    Referral bonuses aim to help fill mission-critical vacancies
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil