High School and College-Age Students Learn About Aviation Careers through Behind-the-Scene Tours, Mock Interviews and Career Panels
San Jose, Calif., 2018-Jul-19 — /Travel PR News/ — The Working@SJC Career Fair hosted by Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) in partnership with Alaska Airlines and the Bay Area Council on July 17, 2018, showcased to college-age and high school students interested in aviation careers the many jobs available at SJC and the opportunities available to these current and future job seekers.
More than 100 students, job seekers, educators, school and program administrators and airport and airline hiring managers gathered together for a rare, behind-the-scenes, hands-on opportunity to learn what it’s like to work at SJC, with tours, career panels, job readiness workshops, and an expo featuring airport employers and human resources experts.
A highlight of the event was a welcoming message to the students via recorded video from Norman Y. Mineta, whose accomplishments included serving as a Mayor of San Jose, and U.S Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton and U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President George W. Bush. Secretary Mineta quipped to the students that he considered his greatest achievement is having an airport named after him – the one they were visiting today.
A number of factors are creating job opportunities at SJC: 1) a 2.75 percent average unemployment rate between January and May 2018 in the South Bay metropolitan area, allowing job seekers to move about more readily between jobs; 2) SJC’s incredible growth in travelers over the past four years as a result of new airlines and nonstop service the Silicon Valley community has requested; and 3) additional food, beverage and retail concessions coming to SJC in the next 6-18 months to support passenger growth.
Working@SJC Career Fair
“Alaska Airlines is excited to work with the Bay Area Council and San Jose Airport, along with our Global Partners British Airways and Hainan to bring a curated aviation career fair to Silicon Valley’s airport,” said Annabel Chang, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of the Bay Area. “As the epicenter of one of the country’s largest business regions, SJC represents a tremendous opportunity for those looking to pursue diverse aviation career pathways. We are thrilled to be a part of the airport’s growth and look forward to what will be a memorable job expo.”
“It’s a great time to seek employment at Mineta San Jose International Airport, where more than 5,000 badged employees have found exciting and satisfying careers in safety, security, customer service, retail and operations,” said Assistant Director of Aviation Judy Ross. “Our next generation of leaders, now in college and high school, are the future of SJC and the aviation industry, and we’re pleased to introduce them today to our dynamic and unique workplace through our many partners,” she continued.
“The regional economy is booming and the aviation industry is one in particular that continues to grow exponentially as a result. However, it faces a tsunami of retirements from the Baby Boomer generation coupled with a dearth in local talent equipped with the skills needed to fill these technical jobs across the industry,” says Linda Bidrossian, Bay Area Council’s Senior Vice President of Public Policy. “Addressing this talent gap, the Council’s Workforce of the Future initiative is bolstering connectivity between our region’s students, educators and employers. Working@SJC, represented by both employers and educators directly working together, is the anchor for this work to ensure careers pathways in aviation for diverse local talent take flight”.
Learn more about career opportunities at SJC at https://www.flysanjose.com/employment.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines and its regional partners fly 44 million guests a year to more than 115 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners, guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America” in the J.D. Power North America Airline Satisfaction Study for 11 consecutive years from 2008 to 2018. Learn about Alaska’s award-winning service at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK). Visit
alaskaair.com for more information.
The Bay Area Council
The Bay Area Council is a business-sponsored, public policy advocacy organization for the nine-county Bay Area. The Council proactively advocates for a strong economy, a vital business environment, and a better quality of life for everyone who lives here. Founded in 1945, as a way for the region’s business community and like-minded individuals to concentrate and coordinate their efforts, the Bay Area Council is widely respected by elected officials, policy makers and other civic leaders as the regional voice of business in the Bay Area. Today, more than 275 of the largest employers in the region support the Bay Area Council and offer their CEO or top executive as a member. Learn more at bayareacouncil.org.
SJC: Transforming How Silicon Valley Travels
Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) is Silicon Valley’s airport, a self‐supporting enterprise owned and operated by the City of San José. The airport serves 13 million passengers annually, with 210 peak daily departures on 16 international and domestic carriers to 54 nonstop destinations. SJC has been America’s fastest‐growing major airport over the past two years, based on percentage increase in passenger seat capacity. For more airport information, visit flysanjose.com.
Media Relations Contacts:
Rosemary Barnes, 408-392-1199 – SJC
Oriana Branon, 619-997-0299 – Alaska Airlines
Virginia Drake, 415-946-8716 – Bay Area Council
Source: Mineta San José International Airport (SJC)