Client News

Joshua Wetzel, the West Coast Regional Representative for the U.S. Department of Labor will visit aerospace industry locations in Marina and Salinas on Thursday for a tour of workforce development programs in the region's growing aerospace and drone industry.

The visit will be hosted by Monterey Bay Drone, Aviation and Robotics Technology, a nonprofit which tries to connect industry, colleges and federal partners to build a talent pipeline for the "low-altitude economy," including aircraft maintenance, drones, manufacturing and electric vertical takeoff and landing air taxis like the ones currently being developed by Joby Aviation.

"In the Monterey Bay region, we are demonstrating how sectors can work together to create meaningful career pathways in emerging industries," said Josh Metz, executive director of DART in a press release. "We are honored to welcome the U.S. Department of Labor and share how these partnerships are helping build a skilled workforce for the future of aviation."

Joby has resided at Marina Municipal Airport since 2018, where it designed and is producing its electric vertical take off and landing aircraft, air taxis, which they plan to use for commercial passenger service sometime soon. Two of the three visits will be at Joby locations.

The Department of Labor representative's first stop will be Watsonville Airport, where Joby maintains their aviation academy. The representative will have the opportunity to speak to aircraft maintenance technician apprentices directly and walk through the hanger to see aircraft maintenance in context.

The AMAP program consists of six-month paid apprenticeships under personnel from Joby Aviation. The intent of the program is to upskill members of the local community so that they can meet the demand for advanced manufacturing technicians, robot operation and maintenance, and other entry-level aerospace career pathways.

Then the representative will tour Joby's manufacturing facility in Marina, which has been recently expanded and receive more information on the Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeship Program. Joby is actively hiring technicians and other roles in the Marina area.

He'll also stop at Hartnell College at their Alisal campus where he'll view their mechatronics lab and Maturing Regional AgTech and Aerospace Job Readiness Pathways program, designed to connect local residents to careers in drones and aerospace.

Joby has seen consistent growth since they first came to Marina. As recently as April, the Marina City Council/Airport Commission approved a lease for elevated vertiport structure at the Marina Municipal Airport for flight testing and demonstrations of its electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.