Opening The Gateway To Aviation Careers
An Interview with Pete Parker of Pathways to Aviation
By Annamarie Buonocore
As a publication with a 37-year history, like many of our readers, we are concerned with the future of aviation and bringing more young people into the industry. While 2020 has shown us some tough times as businesses and individuals battle with issues related to Coronavirus, we are confident that the industry will bounce back as it has done time and time again. When it does, it will be important to bring that fresh, youthful blood into the business. This is why organizations like Pathways to Aviation are important in our industry. This particular Reno, Nev.-based program has coached hundreds of young people into aviation degree programs and careers. Its director, Pete Parker, is optimistic about the future of aviation and has plans to really change the lives of young people in his local area.
On a recent trip to Reno, I was I able to sit down and interview Parker on his program and his interests in aviation. Below is the story that provides insight on how aviation enthusiasts of various backgrounds can help this important cause.
In Flight USA: Tell me a little bit about the Pathways program in general.
What do you do?
Pete Parker: We have been in the Reno area a long time. We are a nonprofit, and we created the nonprofit back in 2004. I got hired on as an Executive Director several years ago. When I started, I didn't know anything about aviation. I wasn't involved with it at all. I have a background in nonprofits and was hired to put together a strategy for them.
Then they said, "Could you run us?" I was a little taken aback, but then I said, "Sure, let's go for it." figured with aviation, it would not be too difficult to get kids involved. It would probably be pretty easy, as it was so hands-on. I wanted to put some serious purpose behind it. I wanted to create a workforce platform that would benefit the airports in the local area. We are a 501.C3 that is privately
funded. We don't take any money from the state. We are very small, and all of the money we raise helps the students.
IF USA: How have you promoted this program?
PP: I have gotten quite a few students by connecting with the school districts. We make presentations at schools, run workshops at local airports, and find students from local high schools and colleges. I have talked to the superintendents, the teachers, and all the career counselors. We do some work with local universities as well. We do a lot with Sierra College, and communicate regularly with Cal Aero, University of Nevada, Reno and Western Nevada College.
IF USA: Do you do anything with aircraft?
PP: We don't touch aircraft, and this keeps the cost low. All we do is career readiness. We get with students and help them with their resumes, teach them how to interview, and how to network. We talk to them about the industry and introduce them to various aviation careers through workshops. For example, we had a young lady come to a workshop a couple of years ago. She came with her boyfriend, and she wasn't all that interested. asked her what she wanted to do, and she said that she was interested in museum work.
Twenty-four hours later, I had her hooked up with an organization that does airport and museum assessments and reviews. Who knew? We didn't know at the time. We also met someone who wanted to become a photographer. We introduced them to aerial photography, and there was no looking back.
IF USA: Do you consider yourself a career consultant?
PP: Yes, my whole thing is that students have resources on their campuses, but they don't always know how to take advantage of them. There was a study that showed that only four percent of a student body on a college campus attends a career fair. That means that 96 percent will not attend. We are essentially the aviation career center.
IF USA: Is this all done virtually or do you have a physical location?
PP: have a 10x12 office near the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, but right now, we don't necessarily need a large physical location. Our plan going into 2020 was to start going national. We were planning to go to the NBAA convention to announce our new platform, but it was cancelled. We have an online platform that helps students with career readiness. We can connect them with employers for internships, apprenticeships, etc. In April, we hosted our first online workshop. Once we started doing that, we were attracting students from all over the U.S. Then we started getting them from other countries. We are currently guiding students and job seekers who live in 36 states and six countries. Our dream that we were aiming for actually happened, and it works perfectly during these Covid times.
IF USA: Do the students pay for the consulting?
PP: No, we don't believe in charging students or their families. We receive corporate and foundation donations, and it is inspiring how we have helped some low-income students. We had one low-income high school student with great interest in aviation and a 3.6 grade point average. I called Embry Riddle, and it turns out that, not only did they accept him, they are working with him on tuition scholarships. Donation dollars help many different kinds of students. Because the industry takes all kinds, we have students interested in the medical field, the legal field, engineering, etc. and we show them how their skills are applicable to aviation, whether they choose it as a career or not. We want to deliver the message that the aviation industry pays very well and that there are good opportunities. We are the only group doing what we are doing.
IF USA: Does the final say rest with you or do you report to somebody?
PP: report to the Pathways to Aviation Board of Trustees. We have a very close relationship, and they hear from me all the time. My opinion is that once you have a 501.C3 organization, no one owns it; the people own it. In this case, it is the aviation community. I feel I an obligation to report to the entire aviation industry, as the industry owns us. We establish relationships with young people, so that when they are ready to get hired, they are destined for great employers.
IF USA: What would you say to someone who was discouraged about the current situation with the airlines?
PP: We get that all the time. We tell some of these people that it is best to pick up new skills. Get more hours and learn new skills within the industry. Get your AP or get a new rating. They're all still hiring; it's just moving a little slower. I would encourage anyone in this situation to meet people and come to our workshops. We hold them every Wednesday virtually, so they are very accessible. We will eventually resume on site. We are working with the Air National Guard to use some of their classrooms to teach the workshops. We are also working with Truckee-Tahoe Airport and others in the area. We are connected to great leaders in other states who might be interested in starting workshops in their local areas. It is all about the networking. That is what opens the doors.
IF USA: Do you teach the workshops?
PP: Yes, previously owned a business that created curriculum for college courses, so I have resources. We also bring in instructors and those willing to volunteer their time to present workshops.
IF USA: Is there an age limit to participate?
PP: Originally, it was just for high school students. Then we branched into college. We started to notice that parents were dropping their kids off and taking an interest in the workshops. Some of them started attending the workshops, and some who were looking for jobs, ended up finding them. We're for anybody. We have someone as old as 56 who is looking to transition into the aviation industry. We are in it for the industry and for job seekers of all kinds. We want them to be able to say, "They gave me the tools I needed to get the job."
IF USA: If you were to secure more funding, what would you do with it?
PP: Every nonprofit runs on money. We do not beg for it. am all for mentoring, and I would want to create a larger mentor program. In the next year, we hope to roll out a new mentoring program where students can talk to individuals who can impress upon a candidate the value in an aviation career. These mentors can outline their experiences, talk about the mistakes they made, and the successes they have had. I would like for every student in the program to take advantage of this mentoring program. We might have to monitor them through the process and beef up on staff, but with many of our highly motivated students, we can probably get this done very quickly. My dream would be to have an aviation educational center where people can gather all kinds of aviation information. It should be at an airport because that is one of the only places you can loiter in a professional way. You can't loiter at the police or fire station, but at a GA airport, you can loiter and find things to get involved in. If you hang out there, you are bound to get picked up by somebody who will get you involved. It's great. It just keeps building on itself.
IF USA: Thank you!
For more information, visit: https://pathwaystoaviation.org/
