DAYTON — The Dayton City Commission approved two pieces of legislation Wednesday worth $500,000 to move forward with the Sierra Nevada project at Dayton International Airport.
>>New aircraft maintenance facilities at Dayton International Airport to create 150 new jobs
Officials with the Sierra Nevada Corporation, an engineering firm with ties to national security, defense and space projects, announced back in January they will be bringing and creating 150 jobs.
Keith Klein, senior development specialist for Dayton, told News Center 7′s Mike Campbell on Thursday the city is expecting construction to be completed by early 2023. The groundbreaking was in February and the company wants to hire Dayton residents first.
“They have to create the jobs in order to receive the grant funds,” Klein said. “They will work with our partners like Sinclair Community College.”
>>PHOTOS: Sierra Nevada Dayton International Project (Mike Campbell)
Clay Pittman, Aviation Technology Department chairman at Sinclair Community College, told Campbell he hopes this will help spark an increase in the number of mechanics in the region because of the worldwide demand.
“The demand right here in the region for trained mechanics is great and growing,” Pittman said. “Sierra Nevada is bringing huge operations at the Dayton Airport.”
He added that Sinclair’s education program offers a perfect fit for expanding the facility at the airport.
“We are extremely fortunate that we have been able to partner with the city of Dayton and the Dayton airport,” Pittman said. “The new training facility there will expand our aviation maintenance program.”
Klein said Dayton International Airport has been a driver in bringing jobs and growth to the area, particular to the logistics community.
“This project is more maintenance oriented with aircraft,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot of opportunities for aircraft technicians.”
The $500,000 in contracts approved by the city commission will keep the construction going and allow the commission to monitor the company to make sure they provide the jobs they promised.
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