United Airlines’ Calibrate Technician Pathway Program announced partnerships with students from the U.S. Army Reserve and Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics’ School of Aviation Maintenance, according to a PIA press release.
Calibrate is a full-time paid apprenticeship program to create a career pipeline for aviation maintenance students to become technicians. Students receive on-the-job training and guidance relevant to their career journey.
The program has three pathways to choose from: ground service equipment maintenance, facilities maintenance or aircraft maintenance. To apply, students must be at least 18 years-old, hold a GED or high school diploma, have a valid driver’s license and be able to legally work in the United States. According to the press release, Calibrate has a goal of enrolling 300 eligible students per year.
“Being selected for this partnership gives us great pride and enhances our confidence that our graduates stand among the best entry-level A&P technicians in the country,” Suzanne Markle, president of PIA, said in the press release. “We are excited to facilitate United’s Calibrate Technician Pathway Program and its opportunities for students at all four PIA campuses.”
Eligible PIA students will be provided with a direct path to employment through this program. The school and United will facilitate many opportunities for career advancement such as mentorship from United’s 42 domestic Technical Operation stations, open houses and career fairs.
Calibrate has partnered with several places like PIA. These include the Aviation Command Unit of the U.S. Army Reserve, the National Aviation Academy and the Aviation Institute of Maintenance.
Apprentices will be able to work at United after the program finishes. Students who are accepted to the program must maintain a high GPA and strong attendance to stay in the hiring pool.
Between 2023 and 2032, United is expected to have almost 800 new aircrafts, according to the press release. One of their goals is using Calibrate to help hire 7,000 technicians by 2026 to maintain this growing fleet.
Another goal is to increase awareness and access for underrepresented groups to aviation maintenance technician careers. This will not only benefit these groups but the airlines as well since the aviation industry continues to expand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor predicts there will be about 13,000 annual aviation maintenance and avionics job openings through the next decade.
“We are excited to welcome PIA to the Calibrate Technician Pathway Program and look forward to the mutual beneficial partnership current and future students will enjoy as a result of this new venture, Simone Drakes, managing director of Calibrate at United, said in the press release. “PIA’s commitment to student success coupled with their values make them an ideal partner to help build United’s pipeline of aviation technicians.”
