By Melissa Haworth-Cox
SE aviation students are able to get a job after graduation easier thanks to a partnership between SE and American Eagle Airlines.
On Sept. 26, two agreements were signed between the American Eagle Airlines and SE creating, the American Eagle Pipeline Program which will help aviation students pursue careers as commercial airline pilots.
Under this new program, American Eagle Airlines will help mentor and monitor SE sophomore aviation students, meeting certain requirements, until graduation.
Once graduated, students in this program will have a guaranteed job with American Airlines as certified flight instructors for SE.
This position allows them a chance to accumulate the 1,000 hours required by the Federal Aviation Administration for commercial airline pilots while being paid for their service at SE.
Once the required hours are met, the student can then serve as a first officer for American Eagle Airlines.
Nick Alford, director of pilot recruitment at American Eagle Airlines, said this helps parents to think that if their child goes to this college and complies with the requirements in this program, they have a guaranteed job out of college.
In addition graduates who participate in this program will receive a $10,000 bonus to help with the expenses of starting out as a commercial pilot.
American Eagle Airlines is a subsidiary regional partner of American Airlines. Therefore, if a student displays exemplary work as a first officer at American Eagle Airlines, they may have an interview with American Airlines, Alford said.
“It’s an honor to execute this agreement today,” said Southeastern President Larry Minks at the signing ceremony.
In order for students to join this program, they must be enrolled sophomores in the aviation program at Southeastern and meet the screening and application requirements of an interview conducted by American Eagle Airlines.
Once accepted into the program, students must maintain certain requirements to receive the benefits of the program.
Chris Ferguson, first pilot of American Eagle Airlines, said, “I am really happy we were able to do this… I can’t wait to get this thing started!”