Aerospace conference coming to Coeur d'Alene Resort

The Annual I-90 Aerospace+ Corridor Conference and Expo will be at The Coeur d’Alene Resort on May 27-28. 

The conference started as a networking event for aerospace suppliers in 2015. The focus has expanded from aerospace suppliers to all manufacturing over 10 years. The attendance has also grown from under 100 attendees to close to 300. 

The event is popular with regional manufacturers and suppliers in the aerospace, space, medical, scientific, photonics, nuclear, energy, thermoplastic and other manufacturing sectors, a press release said.

In another aerospace development, a new program offers career path introductions to youth in the aerospace and space industries. 

Video-based Manufacturing Awareness Program is through Let’s Go Aerospace Magazine and its parent company, Top Drawer Media.

"The publication and the M.A.P. videos' short-term goals are to inspire more youth to consider careers in advanced manufacturing," a press release said. "In the long term, Top Drawer Media will partner with advanced manufacturing companies, state government, and educational institutions to bring more hands-on tours to middle and high schools in the Pacific Northwest."

The aerospace industry is rising in career potential in North Idaho.

The American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center may become a reality through the U.S. Department of Commerce Tech Hub award and industry commitments of over $50 million.   

The funding will help establish a facility for advanced aerospace materials in the Inland Northwest. It is believed that within a few years, the Inland Northwest based AAMMC Tech Hub can have prototypes ready for testing and eventual high-rate production.

The center will combine applied education research, workforce training and advanced production, principally located in a 386,000-square-foot repurposed manufacturing facility near Spokane International Airport.  

The Spokane-North Idaho Tech Hub will not only offer advanced technologies, manufacturing and production, but will create hundreds of high-paying jobs.