OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) — Moore Norman Technology Center has received an $825,000 grant from Boeing to support a new hands‑on aerospace training lab. The investment will help expand workforce preparation for both students and adults pursuing careers in Oklahoma’s aviation and aerospace industry.
The program began through an early collaboration between MNTC and Boeing. “We started working with Boeing to do some training for their engineers,” Lee Dow, Director of Aerospace & Transportation at MNTC, told KFOR. “Next thing you know, they had received a grant for $825,000. There’s a lot of opportunity for that money, for us to impact the space and aviation community.”
The new Advanced Visualization Immersive and Developmental (AVID) Lab will feature scanning systems, 3D visualization tools, industrial‑grade manufacturing equipment and mixed‑reality training platforms. Dow said the goal is to give trainees realistic, confidence‑building experience before they ever touch an aircraft. “When you go to the aircraft, you’re completely comfortable. It all makes sense, and the training is enhanced that much more,” he told KFOR.
The center said the lab will serve K‑12 students, current aerospace workers seeking skills upgrades, and partners including Tinker Air Force Base. “We’re also able to reach out to Tinker Air Force Base. They’re currently looking at anybody who might benefit from that type of training,” Dow told KFOR.
As Oklahoma’s aerospace sector continues to accelerate, Dow said the objective is long‑term workforce growth. “We’re starting to plant the seed for tomorrow’s workforce,” he told KFOR.
The program will launch this summer through MNTC’s Summer Youth Academy.
