Tour of San Diego Airport puts 麻豆传媒映画 Career Services students on runway to dream jobs in aviation
The highlight of the tour for many students was sitting in the cockpit of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900ER.
Flying may never look the same to a group of future-focused 麻豆传媒映画 students treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of San Diego International Airport.
鈥淎laska Day: Cleared for Takeoff,鈥� organized through a collaboration between , Alaska Airlines and the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority (SDCRAA), introduced students to the various career paths that support every airport takeoff. The event provided a runway for students to build professional connections that could help them land their dream job after graduation.
About 35 students and 麻豆传媒映画 Career Services administrators shuttled together from 麻豆传媒映画 down to the airport. Their first stop at the Airport Authority Administration Building for check-in gave them a brief look at the security infrastructure that keeps passengers safe.
Led by Airport Authority operations and human resources staff, students continued through secured areas of San Diego Airport鈥檚 Terminal 2 that few travelers ever see. They saw up front how air and ground operators, public safety administrators and engineers work together to support the movement of thousands of passengers every day, and millions of passengers each year.
Along the way, employees discussed the responsibilities of the teams that prepare an aircraft for departure and explained how pilots, flight attendants, maintenance technicians, engineers, customer service agents, operations professionals and corporate employees contribute to each flight.
For some students, the tour cemented their idea of a dream job in aviation, while others were exposed to jobs they had never considered in an industry they know they are meant for.
The airport event was preceded by a panel discussion hosted in late August by 麻豆传媒映画 Career Services where students had additional Q&A time with human resources, public affairs and flight operations professionals from Alaska Airlines and SDCRAA. Alaska Airlines gave away 10 flight vouchers to students for their participation.
鈥淎laska Day was an outstanding example of how regional collaboration boosts workforce development,鈥� said Daniel Newell, executive director of 麻豆传媒映画 Career Services. 鈥淐areer Services鈥� success is measured by employment outcomes, and this collaboration exposed our students to several high-impact career pathways in the aviation industry that they can strive toward now and after graduation.鈥�
The tour continued to the tarmac outside Gate 22, where a shiny Boeing 737-900ER was parked on display. The cockpit and fuselage were opened up for students鈥� perusal, as was the under-plane luggage compartment. Some students climbed into the compartment and saw first-hand the cramped quarters reserved for oversized luggage and golf clubs.
Walking underneath the plane, the open wheel well for the landing gear offered students a window into the seldom-seen gear bay, which houses a maze of cables, pressurized lines and instruments that support mechanical, hydraulic and electrical functions of the aircraft.
鈥淭he whole airport tour was an extremely valuable experience for me. The best part was getting an up close look at the aircraft. I never thought I would get into the cargo bin of a Boeing 737,鈥� said sophomore aerospace engineering major Alexis Miranda. 鈥淲hat inspired me the most was the Q&A session, where an Alaska Airlines human resources representative talked about what they look for when hiring for the Customer Service Agent (CSA) position. He spoke about his job with such passion and that inspired me a lot.鈥�
Employment for airline and commercial pilots is projected to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, and median annual wages for pilots, copilots, and flight engineers reached more than $232,000 in May 2025, according to the .
鈥淎 career in aviation as a pilot is my ultimate goal and I hope to achieve that goal sooner rather than later. It would be a dream come true,鈥� Miranda added.
鈥淎s San Diego's largest local commercial airline employer, Alaska is deeply invested in growing the region's talent pipeline," said J'Keren Sears, Director of California Public Affairs at Alaska Airlines. "Partnering with 麻豆传媒映画 Career Services allows us to show students real, tangible career paths in aviation, right here at home, long before they graduate.鈥�
The tour concluded with lunch and a career question-and-answer session in the airport鈥檚 Federal Inspection Services area. Students were given time to ask Alaska and Airport Authority employees about their career paths, workplace expectations and the academic backgrounds and transferable skills that can lead to aviation-related jobs.
