Texas Southern University is expanding its aviation program by opening a training facility at Ellington Airport, further bolstering the region’s investment in the aviation sector, and training the next generation of pilots.  The City of Houston recently authorized a memorandum of agreement between the Houston Airport System and TSU, which will span five years. HAS has agreed to invest up to $5 million to build the new two-acre facility. Once complete, it will include an aircraft hanger, an aircraft apron, and 7,200 square feet of office and training/classroom space.  “This opportunity provides an enhanced environment for student learning opportunities as we work to address our nation’s critical aviation needs,” TSU’s Executive Director of Aviation Terence Fontaine said. “Furthermore, it provides space for our fleet of eight aircraft to be housed inside and protected from weather conditions, thus allowing us to preserve them for extended use.” TSU will join a list of already impressive tenants at Houston Spaceport, including San Jacinto College’s aerospace program, Intuitive Machines, Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace. The EDGE Center offers students hands-on experience in electrical, design, manufacturing, and operating and maintenance.  “The air transportation industry in Houston and across the United States is growing and provides career opportunities for those with the skills needed to succeed,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects overall employment of airline and commercial pilots to grow six percent from 2021 to 2031, with about 18,100 openings for airline and commercial pilots each year.  More than 500 aviation and aerospace-related companies operate in Houston with more than, 23,000 aerospace and aviation-relation professionals. Earlier this year, United Airlines opened a new expanded Inflight Training Center at Bush Intercontinental Airport. The new facility will train more than 600 flight attendants per month. In addition to the programs at TSU and SJC, Lone Star College offers a pilot program at its Conroe campus.  Learn more about Houston’s aerospace and aviation industries.

Throughout the 88th Texas Legislative Session, the Greater Houston Partnership has focused on priority issues that further advance the greater Houston region. One of the many issues the Partnership is working to bolster is funding for higher education through House Bill 1595, which will significantly increase higher education funding to support research, innovation and talent pipeline development by creating a new multibillion-dollar endowment to support four Texas university systems, including the University of Houston System. Since the Partnership's establishment, education has been a cornerstone of our impact work. This can be seen through our initiatives, such as Upskill Houston, which mobilizes the collective action of more than 200 critical stakeholders to strengthen the pipeline of skilled workers that employers need to create better pathways to opportunity and prosperity for all Houstonians, and PartnerUp, which works to equitably link college students looking to enter the workforce one-on-one with local industry professionals. Additionally, the Partnership recently hosted a discussion on higher education, featuring a panel of top leaders from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) -- Texas Southern University and Prairie View A&M University. During the panel, Texas Southern University President, Lesia Crumpton-Young, emphasized that TSU's primary goal is to provide students with the opportunities and resources needed to prepare them to enter Houston's workforce and help them develop the skills necessary to support the region's key industries -- which, in order to achieve, additional funding is essential. Despite housing one of the nation's top universities, the University of Houston, Houston has not always been considered a higher education city. Many years ago, qualified students left Houston to pursue a four-year degree and did not return after graduation, leaving the talent pipeline too small to support our region's businesses. Although this perception has drastically changed due to the leadership at our colleges and universities, there is still work to do to strengthen our region's higher education system - which can be done through additional funding. TSU recently requested significant funding from the state legislature that would strengthen research opportunities, improve facilities and provide student support services. The Partnership has worked with and supported local community colleges and universities to ensure growth in these systems continues.  In support of TSU, the Partnership’s President and CEO, Bob Harvey, authored a letter to the appropriators, advocating for Texas Southern University’s request for increased research funding. The infusion of new funding for Houston universities will not only help accelerate the universities' research capabilities and attract world-renowned professors and researchers, but it will also strengthen the region as a whole by being recognized as home to some of the top universities in the nation and providing a strong base for the future workforce.    To stay up-to-date on policy news, click here.