The Arizona Department of Commerce and Prescott Valley Economic Development Foundation recently presented Lockheed Martin Information and Technology Services with an Arizona Job Training Grant check in the amount of $872,182.

“In the past, the investments we have made in the technology sector have strengthened Arizona's standing in the new, knowledge-based economy and fueled our economic growth," says Gov. Janet Napolitano. "This grant will help Lockheed Martin build on that success and bring still more good-paying jobs to Northern Arizona."

On October 4, 2005, employees of 58 Automated Flight Service Stations (AFSS) transitioned from government service to Lockheed Martin. Approximately 1,700 former FAA employees are now Lockheed Martin employees, and will continue to provide Preflight, In-Flight, and Operational Services on a 24-7 basis.

More than 600,000 general aviation pilots rely on AFSS specialists for weather briefings, updates on closings or changes at airport facilities, and filing flight plans. "Flight Service 21" consists of three hubs located in Ft. Worth, Texas; Leesburg, Va., and Prescott Valley, Ariz. Lockheed plans to have them online by April 2006.

Lockheed Martin is opening a new 50,000 square-foot Automated Flight Service Station in the Big Sky Business Park on Valley Road in Prescott. It has outgrown the current Prescott Airport location.

“It is estimated that the training center alone will have an impact of more than $1 million annually on the local economy,” says Arizona Department of Commerce Assistant Deputy Director of Community Development Deb Sydenham who presented the $872,182 grant check to William Lamb, Lockheed Martin’s Western Service Area Manager, Flight Services, Business Process Services.

Lockheed Martin Information and Technology Services in Prescott Valley is the largest of its 15 facilities in the Western Service Area and houses, in addition to the Automated Flight Services Station, the Flight Services Academy and the Service Area management team. Training will last up to 2 years.

Companies receiving Commerce Job Training grants have two years to complete the training. Employers pay up to half the cost of training existing employees, and up to 25 percent of the costs of training new employees.