History of MIAT College of Technology

MIAT College of Technology was founded on the drive to fill a growing need for qualified technicians – and we’ve been meeting that need ever since.

In 1969, Lee R. Koepke saw what other people could not. He anticipated growth in the aviation industry and he developed a training resource to send qualified aviation technicians into the field. Koepke founded the Detroit Institute of Aeronautics, which became MIAT College of Technology. The aviation training he developed went on to become the foundation of the Aviation Technology program taught at MIAT ever since.

Early Days

Originally the school was located in a facility at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, Michigan which eventually expanded to 14,300 square-feet. Due to dramatic growth and the birth of new technology in the aviation and energy industries, MIAT opened a 38,000-square-foot satellite campus in New Boston, Michigan. In wanting to be able to accommodate all of its programs and students under one roof, MIAT combined both Michigan campuses into one, industry-standard, 125,000-square-foot facility in Canton, Michigan.

Modern Technical Career Education

In 2010 MIAT opened a branch campus in Houston, Texas. According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Texas is “a national leader in the wind energy industry.” By having a campus in Texas, MIAT is giving students the best chance possible to be at the forefront of emerging industry trends and to find opportunities for themselves within the field.* The Houston campus currently operates out of a 24,400-square-foot facility, 16,600 of which is shop and laboratory space.

2010 also saw the original MIAT facilities at Willow Run Airport become the new home of the Yankee Air Museum, an organization which MIAT has had a lasting relationship with. In fact, many MIAT students in the aviation programs have helped in the restoration of several museum aircraft. Aircraft such as a B-52D Stratofortress and a F-86B Sabre.

*MIAT is an educational institution and cannot guarantee employment or salary.

History of the Programs

Aviation Technology
Aviation Technology programs were created in 1969 to encompass hands-on training focusing on FAA certificated curriculum. Graduates of the Aviation Technology programs are eligible to take federal exams that qualify them to be certificated Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) Technicians.*

*MIAT is an educational institution and cannot guarantee employment, salary, and cannot guarantee certification.

Energy Technology
Energy Technology programs were created in 2007 in response to the energy industry looking for qualified technicians to work in steam and gas turbine technology, power plant operations, wind turbine technology, and other areas of power generation such as substation, standby, and nuclear. The industry recognized the high degree of skills that the aviation graduates possessed and asked for a program that was similar, but also specific, to the energy industry needs.

HVACR Technician
The HVACR Technician program was created in 2012 to meet the needs of the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration industries for having qualified technicians in the field.

Welding Specialist
The Welding Specialist program was first offered in September 2019 to meet the demand for this skill by area manufacturers and fabricators. Students learn the foundational skills in shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, flux cored arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding on various materials. The students also learn base metal selection and preparation; welding equipment selection and set-up; and weld evaluation and inspection.

Robotics and Automation Technology
In response to national employment trends and a high demand for skilled individuals in robotics and autonomous focused industries, the Robotics and Automation programs were established in 2020.