Airport Experience® News - ACDBE & Small Business Issue 2024

is now an airport station manager,” says Worthley. “In five years, he more than doubled the wages he earned when he first started working at SEA.” Being able to experience real-world skill-building and specialized research opportunities through TPA has galvanized USF’s student participants before graduation, says Caplan. “In addition to going over the projects through the semester, we always bring the students in for a tour of TPA (and our other campuses) and provide them with guidance on data analysis, report writing, and public speaking,” adds Caplan. “At the end of each semester, we bring the student’s in to give a final presentation of their findings to a variety of HCAA staff, including some members of our executive team at times. This is an experience that just cannot be replicated in a classroom.” The research that USF students have provided “has been genuinely valuable” to TPA, he adds, noting that several of the program’s alumni end up working on the very same sustainability initiatives as consultants post-graduation. The continuation of the program “will only continue to grow” the pipeline of researchers, he notes. “I believe we have helped to create a model for other airports and universities to use across the country, and shown how valuable this type of formal partnership can be.”

At UNC Charlotte, “giving students opportunities through their educational journey to see what aviation is about” through the AIR Institute has “undoubtedly impacted students in a positive way,” adds Poore. “There are already numerous students over the last seven years of taking aviation classes in architecture and civil engineering that are now working in the industry. Some of them are even working on high-profile design projects, such as the fourth parallel runway project at CLT.” From CLT’s perspective, “this partnership helps build a strong workforce development pipeline, not just for CLT, but for the industry as a whole. While the origins of the AIR Institute have started in civil engineering and architecture, there are opportunities in all aspects of aviation that we have the opportunity to engage in with the institute,” he adds. Next-Gen Leaders By building robust educational programs for both current and prospective airport employees, airports are creating a valuable source of more diverse, innovative, and enthusiastic industry leaders, says SEA’s Worthley. “The aviation industry will see firsthand the benefits of investing in front line workers and supporting the ongoing progression of people in their workforce. Job quality will be improved as positive

practices such as paid time off and employer willingness to support more consistent and flexible schedules will become more commonplace,” she notes. “Employers will also improve their onboarding and career advising practices and begin to onboard front-line workers more intentionally and provide better quality career coaching and guidance as they will see the cost savings on turnover that are associated with such efforts.” Over at PIT, Kerlik believes that the airport’s continued collaboration with CMU showcases the city’s finest technological minds. “Our vision is to make the airport a reflection of this community, particularly its reputation as the global capital of robotics and AI. Our work with CMU staff and companies that have spun out of CMU’s R&D programs has helped to propel Pittsburgh International Airport as a global leader,” he says. “Ultimately, we anticipate PIT will set a new standard for our industry, elevating every facet of airport operations and challenging others to continue the progress by partnering with innovative institutions like CMU.” Above: The Airport University program at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport allows airport employees to take on-site college courses on a range of subjects. Alaska Airlines (tour pictured) provides scholarships for airport employees seeking operations training.

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AX NEWS JULY/AUGUST 2024