Aircraft Structures Technician Certificate

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The Aircraft Structures Technician program will provide students with comprehensive training in the construction, repair, and maintenance of aircraft structures, including sheet metal, composites, and fabric materials.

Program Highlights:

  • Curriculum: The program covers essential topics such as structural materials, fabrication techniques, damage assessment, and corrosion control. Students will gain hands-on experience in building and repairing various aircraft structures, preparing them for real-world challenges in the aviation industry.

  • Facilities: Training will take place in a state-of-the-art hangar at the Cold Lake Regional Airport, providing an authentic environment for learning and practice.

Please Note:  Applications open October 1, 2025.

Career Potential
The certificate aligns with the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering – Structural (AME-S) trade, which allows students to work as Aircraft Structures Technicians upon completion of the program.

Credentials
Certificate

Admission Requirements
  • English Language Arts 30-2
  • Math 20-1

Use this chart to check Provincial high school equivalencies accepted at Portage College. Note: This is just a guide.

English Language Proficiency Information

Transferability 
N/A

Program Start/End Date
August 31, 2026 – June 25, 2027

Application Deadline
August 15, 2026

Delivery
In-Person Learning

Location
Cold Lake

Domestic Student Fees
Application Fee $53.50

Fall Term
Fee payment deadline: August 15, 2026

Tuition $3,400.00
Student Association $116.70
Dental Insurance Fee $163.25
Health Insurance Fee $163.25
Technology Fee $82.71
Recreation Fee $54.57
Total $3980.48

Winter Term
Fee payment deadline: December 15, 2026

Tuition $3,400.00
Student Association $116.70
Technology Fee $82.71
Recreation Fee $54.57
Total $3,653.98

Spring Term

Tuition $1,700.00
Student Association $68.95
Technology Fee $82.71
Recreation Fee $23.54
Total $1,875.20

Total tuition & mandatory fees for year: $9,509.66

Visit Portage Bookstore for textbooks and supplies

Tuition Deposit: $100 (non-refundable for oversubscribed programs)

Need help funding your education? Check out our funding options.

Fee Explanations

Students’ Association Fees
These fees are authorized by student referendum and the Board of Governors. They are collected by the College on behalf of the Students’ Association in accordance with the Post Secondary Learning Act.

Health & Dental Fees
You may opt-out of the Dental and Health Insurance plan if you provide proof of comparable coverage for an extended health and/or dental care benefits plan.

Any questions regarding SA Fees including the Health and Dental Insurance fees should be directed to the SA Office 780-623-5609.

Athletics & Recreation Fees
These fees are collected to provide recreation and leisure opportunities that promote students’ physical, social, and emotional well-being, whether online or through in person facilities. Check out your +region in the link, to see what is offered at your campus or online.

Technology Fee
This is a mandatory fee assessed to students enrolling in any credit course (except for apprenticeship programs) at Portage College. The fee supports the on-going maintenance and upgrades to administrative systems that support the entire College infrastructure.

As such, it is considered a “mandatory non-instructional fee” and, therefore, is subject to Alberta Advanced Education Public Post-Secondary Institutions’ Tuition Fees Regulations. Visa students are charged the same rate as Canadian residents for this fee.

International Student Fees
Application Fee $160.00

Tuition to be announced at a later date.

More international students are choosing Portage College to start or complete their studies because of the personal attention they receive and the high standard of instruction.

Aircraft Structures Technician Course Listing

This course provides students with introductory knowledge of standard shop practices, workplace safety, and the fundamental concepts of aircraft design and construction. Students will learn basic aerodynamics, the functions and purpose of aircraft components, and will begin working with ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Learners will begin their training on shop skills by fabricating basic steel and aluminum shapes.
Hours: 150
Credits: 7

This course will continue to build on the student's knowledge of Aviation Structures, and the fundamental concepts of aircraft design and construction. Learner will be introduced to fastener installations and continue their training on shop skills by fabricating increasingly more complex aircraft structural components.
Hours: 150
Credits: 7

This course will continue to build on the student's knowledge of aviation structures and fundamental concepts of aircraft design and construction. Learners will continue their training on shop skills by fabricating increasingly complex aircraft structural components and then joining these components into aircraft structural assemblies.
Hours: 150
Credits: 7

This course will continue to build on the student's knowledge of aviation structures and on the fundamental concepts of aircraft design and construction by learning and applying shop skills to special processes and practices.
Hours: 150
Credits: 7

This course will continue to build on the student's knowledge of the Aviation Structures, and the fundamental concepts of aircraft design and construction. In this course, students will train on the special shop skills required for composite fabrication and repairs. The course includes a module on flight control balance aircraft weight and balance.
Hours: 180
Credits: 9

This course continues to build on the student's knowledge of aviation structures, and on the fundamental concepts of aircraft design and construction. In this course learners will learn about the modification of existing aircraft structure, and will begin learning about repairs to damaged structure.
Hours: 150
Credits: 7

This course will continue to build on the student's knowledge of the Aviation Structures and the fundamental concepts of aircraft design and construction. Students will learn about damage assessment and compete their training on repairs to damaged structures.
Hours: 132
Credits: 6