Sangamon Sun

Gov. Bruce Rauner visited Lincoln Land Community College i(LLCC) in Springfield recently to celebrate its aviation training expansion, according to a press release.

“A new, $850,000 aviation center at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield is exactly the sort of expansion that will fuel economic progress in the state,” Rauner said.

The center builds on the school’s aviation mechanic program, which helps students become certified aviation mechanics within 18 months. According to the International Air Transportation Association, the industry will need to train and hire about 247,100 additional mechanics by 2018 and 420,000 by 2026.

The new $850,000 aviation center has more than 5,000 square feet of classroom space and will serve up to 75 students. The center was funded by a donation from Springfield technology company Levi, Ray & Shoup. The center will be named after Dick Levi, the company's CEO.

"Mr. Levi recognized that expanding and modernizing our aviation center would allow more students to receive hands-on, technical job training in the repair and maintenance of aircraft, leading to rewarding and in-demand careers," LLCC President Charlotte Warren said. "Our entire community benefits from more students trained for more local jobs."