Aviation - General Arts and Science

Careers - September 2023

Employers in aviation are increasingly seeking pilots with post-secondary education, as well as the required licenses.

• Graduates from the helicopter option will find initial employment in ground operations, teaching ground school, and dispatch positions to gain detailed knowledge of their company’s operations. Once they have moved into more permanent flight positions, pilot graduates often begin flying in charter work, crop spraying, and ride operations. Pilots who acquire more hours may move on to a variety of different sectors such as lidar survey work, flight instruction, aerial firefighting, heli-logging, resource exploration and support, aeromedical, photography and film, heliskiing, corporate transport and off shore oil support.
• Graduates from the airplane option can find initial employment with a variety of air operators, typically flying small single and multi-engine aircraft or working on ground crew.Some graduates choose to pursue a flight instructor rating or a float plane rating to increase their opportunities. Building flight hours will allow graduate pilots to eventually fly larger, more complex aircrafts.
• Long-term pilot employment prospects are excellent and many major carriers are predicting a shortage in the industry. Porter Airlines has offered Conestoga graduates a pathway to employment through a mentorship program that will create opportunities for a first officer position (Destination Porter). Qualified graduates will also have the opportunity to apply for the Jazz App which is an application pathway to training as a first officer at Jazz Airlines. Other major airlines are also considering pathway programs for Conestoga Aviation graduates.

On average, 100% of graduates from the last three years (2018 to 2020) found employment within six months of graduation.