Wednesday morning, eight students enrolled in the Airline Career Training (ACT) Program received a conditional employment agreement with SkyWest Airlines after they finish their Associate of Applied Science degree. This means that as long as students complete their program, with enough hours and flight experience, they will automatically be offered a position as a first officer at the airlines, based in San Diego, California. “It’s basically like a gift card,” said Darren Graham, director of aviation programs and chief flight instructor at Indian Hills.

The aviation industry appears to be entering a golden age for new pilots as we continue into the New Year. The generous compensation and retention programs of airlines such as Endeavor Air, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines that flies as Delta Connection, are evidence of this positive trend. The airline recently announced that it is beginning an $80,000 Pilot Retention Payment program to attract the best and brightest to its cockpits. With pilots earning more of the compensation, downtime and respect they deserve, it is an excellent time to enter this critical and esteemed profession – if you have what it takes.

There is a commercial pilot shortage plaguing airlines across the nation, and as we look forward to 2015 it appears that this trend is only going to intensify. The current state of the aviation industry in the United States is causing headaches for airlines struggling to meet the demand for flights while ensuring their pilots are given the adequate rest they need. This shortage is also creating an ideal environment for new pilots completing flight school and embarking on a career in commercial aviation. With increasing demand for commercial pilots and continued growth in this job market is expected over the next 20 years!  The current pilot shortage is creating new opportunities for aviators