PIA Hosts Pipeline-Impacting Career Fair
The demand in the aviation industry for skilled, qualified aviation technicians has continued to grow in recent years. Despite a slow-down in the hiring process in 2020, the 2021 Career Fairs held at PIA show that the industry is eager to once again tackle the need for technicians.
Four campuses of PIA held career fair events this Fall, marking their return after a yearlong hiatus due to COVID-19. Fifty-four employers participated in PIA’s Fall 2021 Career Fairs, with 21 attending two or more campus events. Hangars and airports transformed into one-stop shops for students to interact with recruiters, many of whom conducted on-site interviews with students. It is estimated that across all four campuses, over 250 interviews were conducted between companies and soon-to-be graduates.
Many companies visited multiple PIA locations to ensure they were meeting as many future AMT’s as possible. SkyWest Airlines, Republic Airways, PSA Airlines, Piedmont Airlines, Endeavor Air, Gulfstream and Mitsubishi Aircraft visited PIA to build their mechanic pipeline for now and in the future. Organizations from other industries and post-secondary institutes were also present at many of the campuses.
“We were thrilled to have a great variety of employers attend each campus Career Fair. From regional airlines and mainline carriers to Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and aircraft manufacturers and more, our students were exposed to the diversity of employment opportunities available to them as hiring really ramps up,” said Janet Heim, Campus Coordinator at the PIA Hagerstown, MD campus. The variety of aviation sectors represented at the fair demonstrates that the need for technicians extends well beyond the 132,000 needed for commercial aviation support, according to the Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook for 2021.
“While the demand for commercial aviation technicians is crucial, there are still other sectors of aviation that need the support of qualified aviation technicians,” says Karin McKenna, Communications Manager at PIA, “Commercial aviation tends to be the first thought when it comes to the needs of aviation, but we cannot forget the essential functions of cargo, MRO, manufacturers, and more that require the skills of an AMT.”
All campuses of PIA will be hosting Spring Career Fairs, open to current students and alumni of PIA to attend.
