From the press release:
Parkland, Trans States Airlines to Sign Flight Training Accord
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Institute of Aviation at Parkland College will sign an agreement with Trans States Airlines headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that would accept qualified flight students from the college into its Aviators Program.
The signing ceremony will be held Feb. 25 at 11 a.m. at the institute.
Created last June for aspiring commercial pilots, the Trans States Airlines Aviators Program is a long-term internship for student pilots enrolled professional pilot training programs. The program identifies promising pilots early on in their flight training and begins preparing them for the Trans States Airlines flight deck while they are still in school through immersive, real-world experiences.
Students completing the program are eligible for a $10,000 tuition reimbursement as well as any recruiting bonuses offered by Trans States. These funds can be used to offset the cost of earning their certified flight instructor (CFI) designation.
The agreement will help create certified flight instructors for Parkland’s Institute of Aviation and pilots for Trans States, according to Wendy Evans, program recruiter for Parkland’s Institute of Aviation.
“We will join a selected group of aviation programs that will have this partnership,” Evans explained. “This agreement will allow our current students a pathway to commercial flying. The idea is that students complete their certified instructor training with the Institute, and then they continue to work for the Institute until Airline Transport Pilot certification minimums are met but still are very involved with Trans States.”