Aviation Maintenance Technician Program
AMT - On behalf of Wicomico County, SWED applied for and received a $3.298 million grant from the Rural Maryland Economic Development Fund to establish an Aviation Maintenance Technician program at the Salisbury-Ocean City: Wicomico Regional Airport (SBY).
Teaming with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), the state Maryland, Wicomico County and Piedmont Airlines, the 12-month Aviation Maintenance Technician program will create a pipeline of mechanics and enhance the aviation and aeronautics sector for our region. Beginning with an initial cohort of twenty-five students, the program is expected to begin in the spring of 2024 with the first graduating class in 2025. SWED is brokering all transactions associated with establishing this program.
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'Transportation as an Economic Catalyst' was the theme at our 57th Annual Meeting held at the Wicomico County Youth & Civic Center. More than one hundred attendees networked and heard updates and strategies to drive economic growth from Tony Rudy (Director of Aviation at SBY Airport), Cliff Grunstra (Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Carload Express) and SWED Executive Director David Ryan (substituting for David Pierce of NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility due to the government shutdown). John Hickman and Ashley Panagakos of BEACON at Salisbury University provided results of an Economic Impact study of the Port of Salisbury. The study found the Port has an overall annual economic and employment impact of $225 million and 600 jobs in Wicomico County, respectively.
Early in 2025 and with funding provided by the Tri-County Council of the Lower Eastern Shore and the Rural Maryland Council, SWED engaged BEACON at Salisbury University to conduct an Economic Impact Study on the Port of Salisbury. The purpose was to highlight the importance and quantify the value of Maryland’s second largest port to our local economy. The Wicomico River and Port of Salisbury play a critical role in local supply chains, area industries, and overall economic activity. Review the Report Here.
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) cut the ribbon for the opening of its Part 147, FAA Certified Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) school at the Salisbury - Ocean City: Wicomico County Regional Airport. The program is the result of a collaborative partnership between Wicomico County, UMES, the State of Maryland and Piedmont Airlines. Piedmont and its parent company American Airlines, donated an Embraer 145 jet to the school. More than two hundred people attended the event.
