Flying High: SJSU Aviation Partners With Alaska Air Group for Pilot Development Program

SJSU President Cynthia Teniente-Matson with aviation students at the Alaska Air Group SJSU Pilot Development Program launch event. Photo by Brian Anderson.

By Derrick Meyer

The aviation industry faces a shortage of pilots across the country, and according to CNN, the national security of the United States relies on a healthy airline industry with modern, reliable airplanes and highly skilled pilots to operate them. As Boeing states, “Long-term demand for newly qualified aviation personnel remains strong, as 674,000 new pilots, 716,000 new maintenance technicians and 980,000 new cabin crew members will be needed to fly and maintain the global commercial fleet over the next 20 years.”

With these statistics in mind, it made sense for two organizations to partner to help solve this dilemma. In early September, the SJSU Aviation Department and Alaska Air Group formally announced their partnership to help graduates get on the fast track to becoming commercial pilots.

Alaska Airlines’ Pilot Development Program aims to provide aspiring pilots with a more straightforward, financially accessible path to becoming a professional pilot. There were almost 250 individuals in attendance at the SJSU Student Union Theater as Captain Ron Limes from Alaska Airlines, Captain Mark Niles from Horizon Air and Alaska Airlines Director of Talent Acquisition Deja Hubbard explained the program. 

Professional flight training can be expensive, costing approximately $100,000 or more for an aspiring airline pilot to get the necessary ratings, including instrument rating, commercial pilot’s licenses and 1,500 hours of flight time (and all this on top of the cost of an aviation degree from a university). With Alaska’s Pilot Development Program, students may receive a stipend for their commercial pilot license upon completion of their instrument rating, as well as invaluable mentorship from experienced airline pilots.

Students can apply for the program as sophomores, as soon as they’ve received their private pilot certificates. The Alaska Air Group representatives then conduct interviews — those accepted into the Pilot Development Program get a conditional job offer to fly for Alaska Air Group. Wendy Hales Mora, lecturer and assistant chief pilot of the aviation program, describes the program as “a long interview process.” But, as she points out, “As a sophomore in college, you can have a conditional job offer for a lifelong career, a career that’s going to last you until you’re 65 years old.”

The Pilot Development Program then helps students financially and professionally with funding and mentorship opportunities as they gain further ratings and certificates. Once students have their commercial pilot certificates and ATP minimums, they’re onboarded with Horizon Air (part of Alaska Air Group), where they fly for two years before moving on to Alaska Airlines. 

Ron Limes, a captain (the industry term for a pilot in command) for 25 years, explained that the partnership partly came about because of Alaska Airlines’ search for the next generation of talented pilots. 

“SJSU has a top-notch flight program with West Coast roots, so the relationship fits like a glove,” says Limes. “The values of SJSU and Alaska are in perfect alignment, which is a big plus for the airlines. The aviation students at SJSU represent the future, and we need to be forward-thinking.”

Mora adds, “This partnership means so much to the students because they have taken a fledgling program and grown it into what it is today. The fact that a nationally-recognized brand like Alaska Airlines would see their potential is just heartwarming.” Both Mora and Limes see the future capabilities of the aviation students and what they can bring to the airline industry. 

“This is probably one of the biggest things that’s ever happened to the San José State aviation professional pilot track,” Mora concludes. And since aviation is the fastest-growing program in the SJSU engineering department, it means a lot to the university, too.

“[Our aviation department] isn’t new, but our professional flight track is, and the fact that Alaska Airlines sees the growth and the potential means that we’re on the main stage now. It gives us a lot of credibility,” she says. “All of this is happening because of the department’s growth and prestige. I see this as one of many opportunities that I think will start happening at SJSU, not just for pilots but also for the whole aviation workforce. We’re a school to be reckoned with.”

Learn more about SJSU Aviation.