Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon says a state program that helps employers offset the cost of job training was instrumental in bringing aircraft maintenance company Aviation Technical Services to Kansas City.
The Washington state-based company has renovated a hangar at Kansas City International Airport and hired 70 employees so far.
"I think the real difference here is in that Missouri Works training," says Nixon, who was in town Thursday for the official ribbon-cutting. "We're going partner-to-partner with them. We'll begin after their 100th job, helping them defray some of their cost for training."
Through Missouri Works, employees receive job-specific training at local community college campuses. The state helps pay for it so long as employers deliver on promised job growth.
ATS plans to create 500 new jobs in the next five years and has already secured contracts with Hawaiian Airlines and Air Canada.
"I'll tell you right now, our business is a business that needs qualified, experienced, caring people who are going to work hard," says ATS President and CEO Matt Yerbic. "That's exactly what we found right here in Kansas City."
Yerbic says the Kansas City employees ATS has hired so far have done "even better than expected" and the company made the right decision by coming here.
