SALT LAKE CITY — The aviation industry is constantly changing. Here in Utah, some aviation leaders say they’re seeing more interest from students.
On Saturday morning, Delta Air Lines opened their hangar at the Salt Lake City International Airport for their Aviation Career Open House. There were dozens of booths set up inside and outside, with information on how to get involved in the field.
Hundreds of students and families came to the event, including Park City High School student Ebinder Gonzalez.
“When you go around, there’s military scholarship options, high school programs, university programs,” Gonzalez said. "Everyone I talked to has been so nice. They’re giving me so much information."
Many leaders at the event said it’s great to see so many young people take an interest in aviation. Stacie Whitford with the Utah Aeronautical Educational Advisory Board said there’s always a need for pilots.
“A couple of years ago, the major airlines hired roughly 12,000 to 13,000 per year for two years,” Whitford said. "That was three times what the norm is. We’re back down to the norm, which is about 4,000. That’s the major airlines. I think that it’s really interesting right now to see these kids find that groove."
There are other paths to look at, like dispatch, maintenance, ground crews and more.
Andreas Wesemann, a colonel with the Civil Air Patrol and a Utah State University professor, fell in love with aviation at a young age. Now he takes that passion and helps others discover all that the field has to offer.
“There are all these careers and opportunities for helicopters, fixed wings, everything about aviation. I love seeing these kids to give them the idea of what their future can hold,” Wesemann said.
Park City High School teacher Trip Marshall also has a passion for aviation. Being in the field for years himself, he takes what he’s learned and passes it on to his students.
“We’ve been historically short on pilots, historically short on mechanics, and those are things we don’t think about as normal citizens, but we use them every time a box is shipped, every time we see grandma — we use these things all the time,” Marshall said.
He said his class is always getting more interest.
“What it shows is the interest. There’s a need for this. The students are out there and need to connect with flight school. They need to connect with the industry,” Marshall said.
The students at the event said they're excited to learn more.
“Yeah, it’s been amazing! I look forward to fourth period aviation every day,” Park City High School student Will Hladon said.
