Spartan College + United Airlines at Denver Aviation Day

Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology is proud to announce that our Denver area Campus President, Nicholas Brown, was recently featured in the United Flight Line Newsletter. Below is the interview with Brown and Nick Accardi of United Airlines discussing topics such as Denver Aviation Day, pilot training, and Spartan’s relationship with United Airlines.

Denver Aviation Day Offers Students A Chance To Learn About Pilot Careers

For the fourth consecutive year, young people with aviation career aspirations got an insider’s look at what makes the profession so special at DEN’s Aviation Day 2019 on Friday September 6. More than 4,000 attendees came out to our DEN hangar to check out exhibits focused on aircraft maintenance, operations, inflight services and flight operations, among other work areas. The day offered a unique opportunity for students to learn more about careers in aviation, interact with experts in the field, featured one of our Boeing 787s on display and food from our 777 BBQ Team Other exhibitors included the US Air Force Academy, Metropolitan State University, Lockheed Martin, and the FAA.

“We were proud to be able to host this event at our hangar and promote the many exciting careers that are available in aviation,” said DEN Aircraft Maintenance Senior Manager Nick Accardi, who led our involvement. We had an opportunity to sit down with Nick Accardi and Nicholas Brown, Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology Campus President, to ask a few questions.

Spartan Q&A With United Airlines About Airline Pilot Training

Q: What is the significance of a partnership with local schools?

Brown: “The partnerships that we have established with our employers, such as United Airlines, allows for Spartan to demonstrate the need for more individuals to consider the aviation career fields. United’s strong reputation and support helps lend credence to our institution and the quality of training that we provide.”

Q: What is the biggest challenge to overcome in formalizing a partnership?

Brown: “The biggest challenge with any partnership is the initial start-up and plan of action to meet each organizations’ goals. This partnership has been seamless in regards to the fact that we share the same needs which includes training/certifying future aviation professionals to help bolster the workforce for the aviation industry. United is open to all ideas that come up and this makes the partnership much easier.”

Q: What results have you experienced from partnerships?

Accardi: “Spartan College has educated some of our most recent new hires, They come with high energy and enthusiasm and a willingness to learn.”

Brown: “United has been a phenomenal partner! The United team has supported Spartan with student presentations, interviews, facility tours, hiring, community engagement efforts, and the growth of the Spartan College Aerospace Pathways program. Our team at Spartan has found United to be the example of what a partnership should entail.”

Aviation Day Creates Opportunities for Networking About Pilot Careers

Q: Why do you feel it is important to hold an annual Aviation Day in Denver and what has been the general response to that event?

Accardi: “Aviation day is an important event, not only does it give back to the community, but it also provides information to students K-12 that may want to pursue a career in aviation that may have never thought of doing so. It also shows different career pathways. It provides an excellent opportunity for us to reach out to the next generation of aviation professionals and have fun doing it.”

Brown: “This event is unlike any other. The opportunities for K-12 students, post-secondary students, and the general public to meet with aviation company representatives and learn more about career pathways at these respective organizations is unprecedented. The event provides not only employer engagement, but the ability for students to engage with family and peers to identify pathways of interest and provide a clearer direction to an aviation career. The efforts of all organizations involved can’t be overstated. The success of this event really relies on excitement and passion of all who participate. United plays a big part with the facility space and employees who represent our industry well.”

Learn more about Spartan’s Denver area campus, our Aviation Maintenance Technology or Aviation Electronics Technology programs, and more by exploring our program pages. Or contact us today to take the first steps toward learning more about training for the aviation industry.

Tech Ops Recruiting Team. “DEN Aviation Day.” United Flight Line Newsletter, Oct. 2019, pp. 2-4