I had the honor of visiting Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne to meet with students in the Aviation Fabrication and Assembly Technology program led by Bill McInnish. Mr. McInnish, a Coast Guard veteran, has dedicated 27 years to teaching technology and career education. He founded the first-ever aviation fabrication and assembly program at Eau Gallie HS, which led to it becoming the first school in the nation to award high school students with the National Aerospace/Aircraft Assembly certification. This program is a model for building a strong local talent pipeline. Graduates are already working at leading aerospace companies, landing well-paying blue-collar jobs and setting themselves up for a successful career right here on the Space Coast.
Eau Gallie High’s aviation program under Bill McInnish is exactly what vocational ed should be—practical skills, real jobs, zero fluff. 100% placement into aerospace giants like Boeing, SpaceX, and the military proves trades beat debt-saddled degrees. But let’s be clear: DeSantis pushing $75M for more programs like this is smart, but only if it avoids D.C.-style bloat. Taxpayers win when schools ditch woke indoctrination for wrench-turning, plane-building grit. More welders, fewer gender studies grads.
@RepHaridopolos @EGCommodores Mr. Mac was just getting that program going back when I graduated. Glad to see it’s going so well!