Learn about the successes of Core Plus Aerospace students in the 2023 annual report
Jeric is a 2019 Core Plus Aerospace graduate from Renton High School. In high school, Jeric completed the Core Plus Aerospace summer internship and earned second place in the SkillsUSA Washington Manufacturing Assembler state competition. After high school, Jeric continued to build his skills as a facilities maintenance and equipment services intern at Boeing. These experiences helped prepare him for his current position at Boeing as a Blue Streak apprentice. Jeric’s role as a Blue Streak apprentice includes making repairs and addressing emerging needs on airplanes that may come up during his shift.
“Core Plus Aerospace and my internships really prepared me to apply and interview for the Blue Streak Apprenticeship,” Jeric said. “Boeing’s Workforce Development team also really prepared me to get a position like this early in my career. They helped me figure out what I want to do.”
Jeric keeps in touch with Jay Tonneslan, his Core Plus Aerospace instructor at Renton High School. He has been a guest speaker in Tonneslan’s class and encourages students to ask questions because it shows you’re engaged and want to learn.
“Students should go out there and learn about career opportunities,” Jeric said. “Find opportunity yourself because it separates you from the next person. Trying, learning, being ok with failing and getting better has helped me get to where I am today.”
Tanzania is a 2022 graduate of Rainier Beach High School in Seattle Washington and is a Core Plus Aerospace graduate of the Seattle Skills Center. After graduating high school, Tanzania participated in the 2022 Core Plus Aerospace summer internship, hosted by Boeing. Following the internship, she became one of the nearly 1,000 Core Plus Aerospace graduates that Boeing has hired directly into advanced manufacturing roles after high school.
“We did more hands-on with things I didn’t expect myself to ever learn, like electrical, sealant and wiring,” Tanzania says. “I am really grateful for those skills.”
Tanzania recommends Core Plus Aerospace to high school students to learn not just how to use machines and tools, but also to learn design programs and advanced engineering elements.
“Core Plus Aerospace really gives you a sense of choice and identity of what you want to do in your actual life,” Tanzania said.
Johlesa is a 2022 Core Plus Aerospace graduate of Lindbergh High School in Renton, Washington. In high school, Johlesa explored a science, technology, engineering and math career. Along with participating in Robotics Club and taking computer science, she took Core Plus Aerospace to see how she could apply her computer science skills in different ways. Also while in high school, Johlesa was honored for her commitment to a STEM career during Washington STEM Signing Day. The event celebrated 49 high school seniors from across the state for choosing to pursue STEM education at technical programs, two- and four-year colleges, and universities.
Johlesa is currently studying computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with the goal of applying her skills and knowledge to find solutions to challenging problems in civil engineering or medicine.
Ethan and Kadem are brothers that graduated from Meadowdale High School in the Edmonds School District. They both completed the Core Plus Aerospace program offered at Lynnwood High School, where they learned foundational advanced manufacturing skills that set them up for success after graduation.
“My Core Plus Aerospace experience in high school was awesome,” Ethan said. “We did a lot of 3D printing, CAD, built a lot of projects and used tools. I also learned math, science and English — all in Core Plus Aerospace.”
Kadem added that Core Plus Aerospace gave him a good opportunity to succeed in a career he wanted to do after high school.
Ethan and Kadem were also 2022 Core Plus Aerospace summer interns. Along with learning real-world skills, Ethan and Kadem got a picture of what a career at Boeing looks like.
“It was cool to be in a Boeing factory and see how things work,” Ethan said. “Being up close to planes is pretty incredible.”
After completing the Core Plus Aerospace summer internship, Ethan and Kadem received and accepted job offers from Boeing. Both are currently Aircraft Structures Mechanics at Boeing’s Everett factory.
“The Core Plus Aerospace internship set me up for success and was pretty fun,” Kadem said. “It helped get my foot in the door and definitely the coolest thing I’ve ever done in my life. It’s quite fantastic.”
