Lizbeth Rios, a Process Engineer at Impresa Aerospace in Gardena, gained enough technical skills to enroll in the Aero-Flex Aerospace Engineering Apprenticeship. The SBWIB developed the Aero-Flex Apprenticeship as an employer-centric earn and learn model in partnership with local aerospace manufacturing companies and many other stakeholders in 2017. She completed the program in 17 months, making her the first female Aero-Flex Aerospace Engineer apprentice graduate. She had previously earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from UC San Diego and completed multiple hours of Tooling U-SME courses, which were credited toward her required Related Technical Instruction.