Embry-Riddle: Fueling the future of business aviation from the ground up

 - July 22, 2022 (All day)

For nearly 100 years, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has been the renowned leader in aviation and aerospace education. But our legacy of training the workforce of tomorrow goes far beyond the flight deck.

While our top-rated flight programs produce polished pilots with the skills and the ratings needed to make an immediate contribution, that same innovative approach to hands-on education also turns out skilled maintenance technicians, business leaders, operations experts, and safety professionals.

As the aviation industry continues its unparalleled growth,
Embry-Riddle stands ready to provide vital workforce solutions that can meet the needs of business aviation operators large and small, no matter where they are.

That includes our comprehensive programs in Aviation Maintenance Science, which are now training the newest generation of skilled aviation technicians. Through our industry partnerships, Embry-Riddle’s Aviation Maintenance Science students get crucial hands-on experience that translates directly to on-the-job success to help meet the demand for 132,000 new maintenance technicians by 2040.

As it expands access to technician training programs, Embry-Riddle recently celebrated a milestone by sending its first all-female team to the annual Aerospace Maintenance Competition. The team, composed of Hannah Daren, Shelby Quillinan, Iram Rai, Vanessa Vowotor, and Tea Galon, was sponsored by engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney.

It means a lot,” Galon said. “It’s gratifying to be part of a team that can influence young girls and show them that they can do maintenance, too. Whether it is aviation or car maintenance, they should know that there are no limits to whatever you put your mind to.”

In addition to driving diversity, our Maintenance Science courses also open new career doors for talented veterans who are making the transition to civilian life, using such options as the Aviation Maintenance SkillBridge program, which trains and connects them to aerospace industry partners.

Students from Embry-Riddle’s renowned business colleges are also uniquely prepared for careers in aviation and aerospace, with skills that range from network planning to revenue and project management.

Again, our direct partnerships with top-notch companies help graduates build a business education with an industry focus, giving them valuable experience through real-world consulting projects, internships, and sponsored clubs and activities, all of which make them attractive candidates for leadership positions with aviation companies.

Embry-Riddle’s comprehensive degree and certificate programs encompass all aspects of aviation and produce professionals who are skilled in flight operations, from dispatch and weather offices to airport ramps.

Graduates are ready to fill demanding roles, with training in our on-campus facilities that includes high-definition simulators, on-site and virtual crash labs where students get to experience forensic investigation of aircraft accidents and a meteorology lab with specialized equipment for broadcasting and forecasting.

Our degree paths in safety science give students the knowledge and expertise needed to address safety concerns in aviation operations, as well as in most businesses and industries across the globe.

And Embry-Riddle is, of course, still intensely committed to training the next wave of pilots to take their seats on the flight decks of the future. Today, the university uses cutting-edge technology, such as virtual and extended reality and high-end simulators, to enhance and expedite flight training in the most innovative ways possible.

Our flight departments don’t just teach the nuts and bolts of flying; students learn what it means to be professional, to be safety conscious and to have the right ethical foundation to be great professional pilots.

When I went all-in with aviation, I knew I made the right decision,” said Anna Scott, who served as the 2021-22 chief pilot for the award-winning Golden Eagles Flight Team at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott, Arizona, campus. “And I feel the same way about coming to Embry-Riddle.”