Vaughn College provides its students with real-world skills to fill in-demand careers in the fields of engineering, technology, management and aviation. Recently, Vaughn College has established new corporate partnerships with several airlines that will benefit students and prepare them for post-graduation employment. Demand for graduates is high with 98 percent employed or continuing their education within one year of graduation, 81 percent in their field.

“Partnerships with the industries that employ our students are a key strength of this institution and the beneficiaries are our graduates,” said Dr. Sharon DeVivo, president of Vaughn. “By staying current with industry needs and asking employers to provide opportunities for current students, we continue to provide a transformational education that changes students’ lives.”

The 2016 Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook and well as the Airbus Global Market Demand forecasts more than 600,000 commercial pilots and 679,000 maintenance technicians will be needed in the next 20 years.

To provide the next generation of pilots, Cape Air and Nantucket Airlines have developed unique approaches and partnered with Vaughn College on a Preferred Hiring Gateway program, to assist in the selection, training and education of potential new pilots; assist Vaughn with retention of flight instructors; and provide career opportunities for selected pilots. In a similar agreement, ExpressJet has partnered with Vaughn on its Airline Pilot Pathway Program (AP3), a mentorship-based educational program that gives students a highly structured, clear path through college to help future aviators pursue their dream. The program seeks to arm students with the tools and knowledge they need for efficient career advancement beginning with a certified flight instructor to a position that results in employment as a regional airline pilot and, finally, a major airline pilot.

Vaughn’s Aviation Training Institute, which houses the aviation maintenance technician program, has been selected as one of 38 institutions to partner with Delta Air Lines for its Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) program. As students prepare for their careers, essential and applicable training is necessary to be able to transition successfully into the workforce. Delta Air Lines continues to recognize Vaughn’s ability to produce highly-skilled technicians. This partnership will benefit the College’s students by expanding its relationship with Delta and making the company a resource for continuous improvement of the AMT program, along with Delta’s assistance with marketing the program to prospective students.

Helping middle and high-school students to consider aviation as a career path is key to meeting the forecast demand for well-qualified professionals and it requires strong collaboration between higher education and industry. The JetBlue Foundation recently awarded Vaughn an $85,000 grant as part of its program to fund science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. This grant will fund the purchase of a RedBird MCX full-motion flight simulator training device to expose 300 New York City area students and 300 Vaughn students, particularly the 220 in the flight degree programs, to the career possibilities.

“The new simulator provided by the generosity of the JetBlue grant will significantly enhance our current lab of four simulators,” said Dr. Peter Russo, aviation department chair. “With our aviation heritage and our top-of-the-line equipment, we provide students with high-quality training that will prepare them for their careers.”