ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE – A growing aircraft maintenance workload – created as aging weapon systems strain to meet the demands of the continuing war on terror – is resulting in hundreds of additional job opportunities at Robins Air Force Base.

Robins officials said in January that some 800 additional blue-collar, aircraft mechanics would be hired this year. That number will grow by up to 500 mechanics and software engineers, according to a Wednesday announcement.

Donna Frazier, director of business operations in the 402nd Maintenance Wing at Robins, called the move the “largest hiring push (on base) in a decade.” The 402nd, with about 8,000 workers, is responsible for the overhaul, modification and repair of aircraft and related components within the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center at Robins.

“We are having to look at all available options (to fill the positions),” Frazier is quoted in the press statement.

The jobs generally require a technical school or college degree and a year of specialized aircraft maintenance experience, although co-operative and apprenticeship programs are also being tapped.

Co-op and apprenticeship arrangements with local colleges, universities and technical schools allow students to work on base and receive a paycheck while attending school.

The new jobs offer starting salaries of $20 to 22 per hour for fully qualified workers with aircraft maintenance experience. Co-op candidates start at $15 to $17 per hour and apprentice workers earn $17 depending on the certification they are seeking. Co-op and apprentice students will be eligible to progress to the $20 to $22 per hour range within a year or two, say base officials.

“(Co-op and apprentice students) are really gaining job skills which will enable them to have lifetime careers with excellent health and benefits packages,” stressed Max Wyche, the center’s deputy director of personnel, in the press statement.

During a previous interview, Frazier cited depot overhaul of aging C-130 and C-5 cargo aircraft as a major reason for the hiring surge.

“Most of the (additional) work is due to aging aircraft problems, problems that are increasing the amount of work we have to do,” she noted. “The aircraft are being flown beyond their anticipated annual requirement and they’re very much over taxed. Our goal is to meet the original delivery dates (for returning overhauled aircraft to their owning units).”

Workers interested in co-op and apprentice positions should contact their local technical college. Robins has partnering agreements with all Middle Georgia technical schools.

Qualified aircraft mechanics must apply over the federal Web site: usajobs.com.