Pixel International Conferences

Aerospace companies in Southern California and other places are losing retiring baby boomers and job-switching millennials, putting the industry’s future at risk. Engaging employees could address this problem and corporate universities are a unique way of engagement. This study shows how these organizations can develop in-house corporate universities and offer education as part of their benefits.  Corporate education can build a stronger organizational culture as a means to increase employee engagement and provide essential industry skills to current and future employees.

Before founding universities, the companies must understand and untangle their current culture and situation by using Schmieder’s (2007) SPELIT model. John Kotter’s eight-step change model is incorporated as a path toward change. Active, adult learners in these corporate universities who form Communities Of Practice (COPs) within their specific aerospace field as part of the education process can help make corporate aerospace universities a success.

Historical and current corporate and aerospace education is studied to provide ideas to innovative aerospace corporations on how to charter these corporate universities and successfully train and retain young employees for future growth.

Keywords: Millennials, baby boomers, retirement, turnover, employee benefits, Kotter’s eight-steps, SPELIT, Communities Of Practice (COPs), corporate education, corporate culture.