Lively Technical College aviation program highlights job-ready graduates and equipment needs

Lively Technical College’s aviation instructor and recent graduates told the Leon County School Board on May 13 that the program produces high-wage, job-ready students but is constrained by instructor capacity and local job opportunities.

The superintendent spotlight featured Rutledge Fuller, Lively Technical College’s lead aviation instructor, who described graduates earning upward of $90,000 a year and the program’s low tuition for Leon County residents. Fuller said the program typically enrolls about 17 students in the August and December cohorts and has been graduating roughly 50 to 60 students per year.

Fuller said the program trains students in aviation maintenance and general aviation. “The day they leave our program, they are able to gain $90,000 a year,” Fuller said. He attributed graduates’ success to hands-on training, donated equipment and the program’s longevity: “We have been around since 1940.”

Two alumni — Simon Buboles and Jefferson Prophet — spoke about their experiences and outcomes. Simon said he graduated about a year ago and used grants so he “pretty much paid nothing out of pocket,” then moved into general aviation work. Jefferson said he graduated in August 2023, accepted a position before graduation and used earnings to build a home. “I was offered my offer letter before I graduated the program,” Jefferson said.

Fuller and board members noted equipment acquisitions that support training: a 1961 Cessna 172, a 1970s Citation 500 and a Robinson R44 helicopter were cited as operational training aircraft. Fuller said students also fabricate many of their own training aids when commercial options are unavailable or unaffordable.

Board members pressed Fuller on capacity and local workforce links. Fuller said the program must maintain a 25:1 student-to-teacher load and currently can accept about 17 students per intake; he said the program could double enrollment with additional instructors. He urged greater local recruitment of aviation employers to hire graduates, saying many alumni relocate for work.

The board thanked Fuller and the students and noted outreach efforts such as the Leon Works event, which Fuller and the superintendent said had strong participation this year.

Board members and Fuller discussed continuing partnerships with the Office of Economic Vitality and the district to highlight career pathways and to seek apprenticeships and local placement opportunities. Fuller requested further community outreach to attract industry partners so the program’s graduates could find more local job placements.

The district and board members praised Fuller’s student-centered approach and the program’s low-cost pathway into well-paid aviation careers. Fuller encouraged community members and prospective students to tour the program and said social media and YouTube videos provide additional program information.

Board members closed the recognition by thanking students and staff and noting several board members planned to visit the training site and aircraft.