FORT WORTH, Texas — For 15 Tarrant County College students working toward careers keeping aircraft airborne, the path to certification got a little smoother this week. Embraer and the Embraer Foundation on Monday awarded them scholarship certificates and announced an additional $25,000 for TCC’s Aviation Maintenance Technology program — doubling the company’s total contribution to $50,000. The scholarships build on a grant TCC received from the Embraer Foundation’s Educational Partnership Program in 2025 to support aviation maintenance students training at the Erma C. Johnson Hadley Northwest Center of Excellence for Aviation, Transportation and Logistics. The funding covers the cost of the written, oral and practical exams required for Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certification — a critical, often expensive step required for licensure.
“This partnership with Embraer reflects what’s possible when education and industry work together,” TCC Chancellor Elva LeBlanc said. “Every dollar invested in our aviation students strengthens not just their futures but the workforce this region depends on.”
Monica Newman McCluney, head of U.S. corporate social responsibility and the Embraer Foundation, said Embraer is proud to renew its partnership with TCC.
“The Embraer Foundation’s total support for TCC over the past year will reach $50,000, helping students gain the education and technical training needed to pursue rewarding careers in aviation maintenance,” she said. “We’re grateful to TCC for its commitment to preparing the next generation of aviation professionals, and we are honored to support students as they build their futures and strengthen our industry.”
That investment is already resonating with the students it’s meant to serve.
“These 15 students represent the talent and potential of the aviation workforce in North Texas,” said TCC Northwest President Zarina Blankenbaker. “Embraer’s continued investment helps remove financial barriers to certification while connecting our students to opportunities in a growing industry. Partnerships like this strengthen the pathway from education to high-demand careers.”
Embraer’s new maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Alliance Airport, expected to be completed in 2027, will employ approximately 250 aviation professionals. Embraer is already recruiting TCC students and graduates.
For Erika Zavala Rodriguez, one of this week’s scholarship winners, the assistance will help her complete her A&P certification, advance her career and support her family.
“My current focus is on continuing my education, completing my training and becoming the first college graduate in my family,” she said. “I also want to make my mother proud and provide the financial support for her to retire and enjoy a well-deserved rest after years of hard work.”
To learn more about TCC’s aviation programs, visit tccd.edu.
Tarrant County College serves nearly 100,000 students each year, offering accessible, affordable pathways to in-demand careers and university transfer. Across multiple campuses and TCC Connect — a fully online learning option — the College partners with more than 1,200 employers to help build the workforce that drives North Texas forward. Bold Steps. Better Futures.
The Embraer Foundation, established in 2017 as a 501(c)(3) organization, is committed to making strategic social investments that positively impact the communities where Embraer’s employees live and work. This commitment to the community serves as the cornerstone of the Foundation’s three pillars: social investment, employee engagement through volunteerism, and inspiring aviation among youth. Through alignment in each pillar, Embraer and its employees make a difference nationwide by forming partnerships that foster innovation in education, sustainability and aviation, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion. For more information, visit embraerfoundation.org.