PIA School for Aviation Maintenance will host a career fair on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm at its Pittsburgh main campus located at 5 Allegheny County Airport, West Mifflin, PA.
35+ companies from all over the U.S. will be in person to interview students with dozens of interviews already scheduled. Some students approaching graduation have already accepted job offers prior to graduation.
Numerous visiting employers are planning to connect with students in their first, second and third semesters to create future interest in their companies and build a pipeline for future talent recruitment.
At this time, the following are among the employers who plan to attend to recruit currently enrolled students:
| Advanced Acoustic Concepts |
| Aero Instruments & Avionics |
| Aerotech |
| Air Methods |
| Amentum |
| American Airlines |
| Bombardier |
| Cleveland Brothers |
| Crown Equipment |
| Delta Tech Ops |
| Duncan Aviation |
| Endeavor Air |
| Envoy |
| Flexjet |
| FS Elliott |
| Fundamentals Flight Training |
| GE Aerospace – Durham, NC |
| GE Aerospace – Lafayette, IN |
| Geisinger Life Flight |
| General Dynamics |
| GoJet |
| Haven MRO |
| Intervala |
| JS Firm |
| Kalitta Air |
| KCI Aviation |
| Lockheed Martin |
| MHIrj |
| Piedmont Airlines |
| Pittsburgh Regional Transit |
| Pratt & Whitney |
| Premier Aviation |
| PSA Airlines |
| QAI Aerospace |
| Repubic Airways |
| Skyward Aviation |
| Skywest |
| Stat Med-Evac |
| Steiner Aviation |
| Sterling Helicopter |
| Textron |
| United Airlines |
| US Coast Guard |
| US Steel |
The latest Pipeline Report published by the Aviation Technical Education Council indicates that the number of new aviation mechanics has risen, yet entry rates are still projected to fall below minimums needed to meet nationwide demand by 2028.
Additionally, the Boeing Technician Outlook North America suggests 123,000 new technicians will be needed through 2042.
With the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting a median annual wage of $79,140 for aircraft mechanics and avionics technicians — PIA graduates traditionally start their first positions between $52,832 ($25.40/hour) and $63,648 ($30.60/hour), indicating that aspiring technicians can enter the field with much less student loan debt than a traditional four-year college.
Young people’s attitudes toward the trades are changing. Recent reports suggest that nearly half of young adults — 47 percent — are interested in pursuing a career in the trades – reflecting an evolving attitude about high demand jobs which align with the priorities of a generation that values independence, skill-based employment, and opportunity for meaningful advancement.
By learning to inspect, repair, and maintain aircraft, aviation technicians learn a specialized skillset that is vital across many diverse fields including corporate aviation, commercial aviation, military, MRO, aircraft manufacturing, cargo, medical transport, drones, and aerospace.
ABOUT PITTSBURGH INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICS
Experienced faculty enhance instruction with real-world scenarios and guide students through hands-on projects endorsed by PIA’s industry partners. Through a wide range of student and graduate services, a nationwide industry network, and a reputation for producing exemplary technicians for nearly a century, PIA graduates have the tools they need to be successful in the exciting world of aviation maintenance. Students attending the main campus in West Mifflin, PA, pursue Associate in Specialized Technology degrees in Aviation Maintenance and/or Aviation Electronics Technology. PIA’s campuses in Youngstown, OH; Hagerstown, MD; and Myrtle Beach, SC, feature targeted Aviation Maintenance diploma and certificate programs.
There is open enrollment through the year accompanied with admissions requirements. For more information, call 1-800-444-1440, or visit www.pia.edu.
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