PIA School for Aviation Maintenance to host career exploration event in Vienna Township February 22
The Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) School for Aviation Maintenance in Vienna Township Saturday, February 22.
The event will kick off at 11 a.m. Saturday and will act as an opportunity for those looking to get into the aviation field to explore career options and get connected with employers.
Additionally, attendees can tour the campus along with its classrooms and hangar, learn about the school's 16-month program, view interactive demonstrations, meet faculty and interact with current students.
According to a press release, skilled aviation mechanics are in high demand due to a nationwide labor shortage.
While reports do show that the number of new aviation mechanics have risen, entry rates are still projected to fall below minimums needed to meet nationwide demand by 2028.
Additionally, new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 13,000 annual job openings for aviation maintenance and avionics positions over the next decade.
According to the release, the latest employment rates for PIA's Youngstown campus graduates are 93% with the top employers for the region being PSA Airlines, GE Aerospace, Endeavor Air, Constant Aviation and Skywest Airlines.
Graduates usually start their first positions between $52,832 per year, which translates to $25.40 per hour and $63,648, which translates to $30.60 per hour with a median annual wage of $75,020 for aircraft mechanics and $77,420 for avionics technicians.
