Avionics News May 2023 - 12

A EA
NOW
ASSOCIATION NEWS, EVENTS & INFORMATION
Nick Brown joins
AEA as director of
workforce development
New hire to lead association's workforce initiatives
The Aircraft Electronics Association has named Nick Brown
as its director of workforce development. He will formally
assume the role of this new position effective June 15.
Brown currently serves as the aviation electronics instructor
for Kent Career Technical Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan,
where he is certified by the state of Michigan to teach career
and technical standards. He leads the career and technical
education program offered to more than 230
high school students in Kent County, Michigan,
which prepares students to enter the workforce
in various occupations.
For more than seven years, Brown has provided
career, academic and counseling support to
high school juniors and seniors. He has instructed
students on ASTM's NCATT standards and
helped certify more than 600 students with a
97% passing rate. In addition, Brown established
personal and career goals for a wide variety of
diverse students to ensure they excel in College
and Career Readiness standards for adult education.
As part of his work, Brown created marketing and communications
materials to establish outreach to local high schools
in Kent County, Michigan, increasing the program's enrollment
rate by 200% in one year. Brown also conducted and led
regional forums with aviation industry leaders to discuss best
practices in avionics and prepare students to enter the workforce
at an advanced level.
In addition to his work at KCTC and his service on
ASTM's aerospace personnel committee, Brown owns and
operates Ace Avionics Training where he created an online
training platform where transitioning active-duty military
members can earn their avionics certifications. He is contracted
by the U.S. Military Credentialing Services to help transition
active-duty members in the United States Air Force and
Army by earning civilian credentials.
12 avionics news * may 2023
Brown also spent eight years in the United States Air Force.
His military career began in March 2007 as a radar avionics
journeyman at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma where
he was responsible for leading teams of maintainers on E-3
AWACS. In May 2009, he relocated to Kadena Air Base in
Japan where he was responsible for the preventative maintenance
of state-of-the-art aviation support equipment. He later
was named work center supervisor where he developed
and trained new employees as maintenance
technicians. He also was tasked by the Department
of Defense to give safety training courses to more
than 300 team members.
" The professional background and experience
Nick Brown
Nick brings to the association is invaluable, " said
Mike Adamson, AEA president and chief executive
officer. " He has built and implemented a superior
program to successfully place high school students
in the workforce, and the results are remarkable. His
work serves as a model for other school districts
around the country to follow, particularly as it pertains to aircraft
electronics. We are delighted to bring him aboard to a new
position that was identified as essential through the AEA's strategic
planning process. He is the perfect fit at the right time. "
Brown has a bachelor's degree from Grand Valley State
University and two master's degrees from Western Michigan
University, one in workforce education development and leadership
and a second in instructional design.
" I look forward to joining the AEA team at the conclusion
of the current school year, " Brown said. " This is an incredible
opportunity to help recruit and retain the next generation of
aircraft electronics technicians. The foundation for this work
has been in place at AEA for several years, and I am excited
to develop and implement some new initiatives to help our
industry discover highly skilled candidates for these safety-critical
technical careers. " q
Avionics News May 2023

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