In 2019, Robins Air Force Base, Central Georgia Technical College and Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority came together for a first-of-its-kind partnership allowing students enrolled in the aerospace training program a unique opportunity.

The opportunity allowed aerospace students the chance to work alongside the 402nd Commodities Maintenance Group aircraft maintainers from the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex 

William Lowery, 574th Commodities Maintenance Structural Repair Flight chief, said when the three came together at the former Boeing facility at the Macon Airport, it created what is now referred to as the Robins North Facility.  Within this facility, active aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul projects take place.

“Part of our mission is to deliver repaired assets to our supply chain,” he said. “So, we provide a lot of manufactured and repaired assets that go through the supply chain to aircraft maintainers around the world.”

“The partnership happened before I was the flight chief but the mission to provide world class sustainment support by performing depot-level maintenance on weapon system components is ongoing,” he continued. “When a C-130 aircraft arrives at Robins for its Planned/Scheduled Program Depot Maintenance, it’s disassembled, and those parts are brought out here to the Robins North Facility. Those parts are overhauled then sent back to Robins to be put back on the aircraft undergoing maintenance.”

Lowery said the partnership is helping to build the future workforce of Robins.

“The CGTC aviation maintenance instructors have already taught the students basic blueprints and basic classes,” he said. “For us it’s a simple walkthrough of what is expected of them, and it simplifies our training because they already have some general knowledge. So, when we hire students going through the training program, they come in and they already know the general sheet metal responsibilities and duties. All we do is walk them through the technical data to that specific weapon system they're working on so they can do the work in accordance with the technical order.” 

John Wood, CGTC Aviation Maintenance instructor, said the partnership came about because the base was looking for a long-range supply of skilled employees.

“At the time, base leadership knew over the next 10 years they were going to lose 40% of their workforce due to retirement and other factors,” he said. “So, base leadership had the forethought to partner with the schools in Georgia, to establish a pipeline of mechanics able to work on the base. They brought the technical college with them in the hopes that we could establish a pipeline of aircraft mechanics to sustain the workload for the future.”

“The partnership's been going great,” he said. “The training of the students to enter the workforce helps the overall mission. The students go back to other students and share the benefits of working at Robins and what the work's like. This draws more students to the school’s aerospace training program.”

Lowery said the Robins North Facility gives the WR-ALC more capabilities.

“We have more areas to bring aircraft items needing to be overhauled from the complex,” he said. “This floor space can actually draw in more work for the overall complex, more job opportunities, because its extra space they can use. If the Air Force brings us new workloads, they know that we have the space and capabilities here to get the job done.”

Lowery said through the Art of the Possible, a constraints-based management system designed to create an environment for success by developing a culture of problem solvers, has his flight constantly improving their processes. Combining this with the partnership with CGTC will open the door for Robins AFB to take on new work and new capabilities when needed.

“I think the college partnerships are the best future for Robins North and the base,” he said. “Within the next two to three years, I've got 20 to 30 people that are going to be eligible for retirement. Being in this partnership, we know what students will be coming out of the program, and that will let us know what the future workforce will look like.