In a massive hangar on the Northrop Grumman campus in Palmdale, California, about two hours east of Los Angeles, row upon row of engineers and technicians put the finishing touches on some of the most sophisticated pieces of machinery on earth. F-35 fighter jets, B-2 bombers, Global Hawk unmanned systems: all are partly assembled, produced and tested here for use by the U.S. government.

Since 2022, UCLA Extension has also been part of that story, thanks to a custom education program that assists Northrop Grumman employees as they enhance their skills and prepare for the next step in their careers. The Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering Certificate Program is just one example of how UCLA Extension helps corporate and government partners ensure that their workforce is prepared to excel in a rapidly evolving technical field, said Director of Engineering Custom Programs Joon Lee.

"Our custom programs are a way for employers to develop their workforce with courses and curricula that are tailored exactly to their needs," said Lee. "Meanwhile, our students stay up to date with skills to succeed in the modern workplace. So, everybody wins."

After graduating 15 Northrop Grumman employees over the course of two years, the UCLA Extension certificate program will soon go a step further, helping students receive their Bachelor of Science degrees with help from a new partnership with Antelope Valley College, a community college located just a few miles from the Northrop Grumman campus. Starting in 2025, aerospace manufacturing certificate courses will count as credit toward the college's Airframe Manufacturing Technology degree.

For Greg Bormann, Dean of Technical Education at Antelope Valley College, the partnership underlines the importance of aerospace industry jobs for nearby communities, and comes as part of an innovative program that expands access to education in the region.

"Antelope Valley College's Airframe Manufacturing Technology degree is one of the first 15 bachelor's degrees offered by a California community college and is connected directly with the aerospace industry," Bormann said. "We are looking forward to building our relationship with UCLA Extension and their students."

Overall, eight courses in subjects such as automation, project execution and tolerancing for mechanical design will be eligible for credit toward the Antelope Valley College program. Having a path to a bachelor's degree will make the aerospace manufacturing certificate even more valuable to Northrop Grumman's employees, said Lee, noting that many students had expressed interest in finding a way to continue to study even after earning their certificates.

"Many of our students aspire to earn their college degrees, but have chosen to focus on their careers first," Lee said. "Through this program, they are able to pursue their professional goals and their academic goals at the same time."

Even before partnering with Antelope Valley College, the aerospace manufacturing certificate gave Northrop Grumman employees an opportunity they may not have otherwise had. Andrew Sandstoe, who was promoted from a structures mechanic to an engineering technician after completing the program, said his certificate was "a major talking point" during his application process.

"As someone who entered this field later than most, I found myself surrounded by incredibly hardworking and talented individuals with years of experience I did not have," Sandstoe said. "To stand out in such a competitive environment, I sought a program that would not only deepen my understanding of a field I was interested in growing into, but also open doors for my future endeavors. For me, the UCLA Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering Program did just that."