Pathways to Aviation, a Reno-based non-profit organization capitalized on the COVID-19 shutdown to significantly expand its locally based career mentoring program to an international scale. Working closely with high school and college students, the organization is opening doors to aviation’s top leaders during a weeklong celebration of aviation careers.

The organization was hosting career mentoring workshops at airports in Reno, Carson, and Truckee until the pandemic forced local and global shutdowns. Its leaders immediately transitioned the workshops to an online format, finding immediate success. During the transition, they implemented a unique career readiness certification portal to boost job searching chances for its students and job seekers.

“Within one week of launching our certification program, we expanded our candidate base to several states and two countries,” says Pathways to Aviation’s board chair, Eric Henry. “Four months later, we’re teaching career readiness skills and connecting employers and mentors to candidates living in 19 states and five non-US countries.”

These and other students and job seekers are attending the October 5-9 virtual Aviation Career Symposium to gain insight, meet leaders, and receive job postings. “The Symposium features career panel discussions, live interviews, job announcements, and career tips,” says executive director, Pete Parker. “The industry leaders we’ve attracted as speakers represent the largest and most noteworthy businesses and institutions in the industry, many of them seeking future hires.”

The Pathways to Aviation Career Symposium is free to participate and open to all high school and college students, as well as job seekers. Details are available at www.PathwaysToAviation.org/Career-Symposium.