As a group of Chicago-area high school students stepped onto the ramp at Atlantic Aviation’s facility at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) April 16 for a firsthand look at business aviation, they may have also taken an exciting step toward promising careers, thanks to an important new workforce partnership.
The collaboration, developed by Atlantic Aviation, Capt. Barrington Irving and Chicago Public Schools, is part of the Barrington Irving Technical Training School (BITTS) program.
It will provide Morgan Park High School students with hands-on exposure to aviation careers, including aircraft maintenance and operations, along with access to training and internship opportunities – helping to build the industry’s talent pipeline in the process.
During the event, 12 students gathered near business aircraft, speaking directly with technicians and aviation professionals about their work and how they entered the field.
Having already spent several weeks in Irving’s BITTS program, the students came prepared with thoughtful questions about entering the industry – how to get started, what career pathways look like and how to build connections with mentors and potential employers. One student, interested in marketing, asked how Atlantic Aviation identifies and reaches its clients.
Jeff Foland, chief executive officer of Atlantic Aviation, said: “At Atlantic, we believe aviation should be accessible to anyone with the drive to pursue it.
“This initiative is about opening doors – connecting students to real opportunities and showing them what’s possible. We’re proud to partner with Capt. Irving, Chicago Public Schools and the city of Chicago to help build a stronger, more inclusive future for our industry.”
Designed to connect students with meaningful, real-world opportunities, the program focuses on those seeking alternative pathways to success – introducing them to rewarding careers that don’t always require a traditional four-year degree.
The initiative also supports Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s efforts to strengthen connections between the city’s industries and its future workforce.
As the aviation industry is projected to require thousands of pilots, maintenance technicians and other professionals during the next decade to keep pace with growth and retirements, programs like this one play a critical role in building early awareness and expanding access, helping students see what’s possible and where they belong in the industry.
Irving said: “I know firsthand how powerful access and opportunity can be.
“When young people are given the chance to step into this world and see what’s possible, it can change the trajectory of their lives. That’s what this program is all about – meeting students where they are and helping them take that first step.”
Ed Bolen, NBAA President and CEO, emphasised that point in a letter read at the event by Norah Lenardic, vice president of aircraft management at EJM and a board member of the Chicago Area Business Aviation Association.
“This collaboration represents an important milestone – for the city of Chicago, for countless students and for the future of our industry itself,” Bolen wrote in the letter.
“By bringing together Atlantic Aviation’s leadership, Barrington’s vision and the energy and talent of Chicago’s students, you’re not just launching a program – you’re establishing a pathway to a future filled with limitless promise.”