PIA Pride
I like that what I do makes a difference in people’s lives.
Paul Speelman
Pittsburgh Campus, PA
Programs:
Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT)
Employment:
Maryland State Police Aviation Command, Helicopter Maintenance Technician
Third-generation PIA graduate Paul Speelman began his career at Piedmont Airlines just days after graduating. Today he works as a helicopter technician for the Maryland State Police Aviation Command (MSPAC), where he helps maintain a fleet of twelve helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft. MSPAC aircraft are utilized in emergency medical evacuations, aerial law enforcement, prisoner transport, search and rescue, crime scene photography, homeland security, and disaster assessment.
“I like that what I do makes a difference in people’s lives,” Speelman said. “The helicopters I help fix save lives in and around the state of Maryland every day. I also enjoy doing something different on a regular basis, and things can and do change at any moment so there’s no knowing what will be in store for me.”
MSPAC currently employs several PIA graduates as avionics technicians, production control supervisors, and quality control inspectors. “PIA is everywhere in the industry, and with good reason,” Speelman said. “The grads I have come across are on another level, professionally and technically, for sure.”