The Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology

Date: Nov 05 2009
Major: Aerospace Engineering (This Major's Salary over time)
After I retired from 20 yrs of aircraft maintenance in the USAF and 1 yr as a defense contractor I came to Spartan to get my A&P license, though being 20yr of prior experience I elected not to test out of parts for a short cut to my A&P. I met 4 alumni during my recruitment period so I had an idea on what to expect when I got to Spartan. Not one negative statement was made by the alumni that I happen to work with as a defense contractor.

Yes the facilities are old, the school is in buildings from its early days, but they are well maintained by a dedicated staff tasked with facility upkeep. The new campus is still a couple years away but is in the works.

The instructors are very knowledgeable and well versed in aviation maintenance, as they come from different parts of the industry.

Students that attend the school will get back out of the school exactly what they put forth in the classes. Most negative press is created by those few students who lacked the discipline to advance their own knowledge and were expecting their hand held and everything done for them. Those same students put forth a lack of effort, but managed to put forth the effort to put forth negative reviews (if only they would have put that effort into trying to succeed they would have had a better experience).

As for student activities, we had a student council that pu on several events and tried to organize several others, but due to a few students who complained the loudest (they only wanted the student council to do away with student uniforms and the attendence rules) the student council wasn't able to put on large functions. I work in the regional airline field, and guess what I wear a uniform to work everyday and if I don't come to work on time, I'll be looking for a new job… Spartan gets people ready for that.

Job placement went well and replacement after the downturn in corporate avaition was excellent also. The staff went to work for each and every student to get a job placement. The major complaint I heard is that the school didn't get a student a $30/hr job right out of school… Well guess what people, they aren't there when you are just starting out, unless you manage to get a defense contractor position overseas. You have to wok your way up the latter, just like any other job.

As an alumnist I spend alot of time going back to the campus as I live 3 hrs away and take the time to talk with instructors and students alike and share my experiences and what I have learned. I used to d open houses on my time and take students and parents around the A&P campus and answer any questions they might have, and you know what all those people who said they were "lied" to weren't the ones asking questions.

The aircraft are old, I will be flat out honest about that… But they are in the same condition as aircraft I have seen in the industry, so you get a feel for how planes really are in teh real world. Yes new aircraft would be nice, but you don't learn anything with them. Plus those same complainers are the first to throw a frisby is to one as hard as they can or write in the paint of cut the interior "to leave their mark" on the campus, so even if you had brand new shinny aircraft they wouldn't be that way long.

I learned alot and was pround to have gotten honor graduate honors upon graduation. Which took alot of effort for someone who was a barely average student in high school 21 years earlier.

I highly recomment attending Spartan'a AMT program "IF" you are serious about aviation and have a passion to see aircraft fly. Its quite the satisfaction to watch a plane take to teh sky right after you have had it all apart and made repairs. It takes a passion to treat it as a Career not just a job.

Mike

Pround Alumnist of Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology.