Nyck Yashiro | Banner Howard Dang, junior aviation flight major, prepares a plane for take off. Dang is one of four aviation flight majors at California Baptist University who received conditional job offers from regional air company ExpressJet Airlines upon graduation.
Four students from California Baptist University’s aviation flight program received conditional job offers within the last few months from growing airplane company, ExpressJet Airlines.
Although CBU’s aviation flight program is only three years old, ExpressJet Airlines took interest from the start, partnering with CBU to introduce itself to prospective pilots through the “Pathway Program.”
Kyle LeVesque, senior aviation flight major, said the Pathway Program is ExpressJet Airlines’ method of giving aviation students at CBU a guaranteed interview opportunity.
“You have to fulfill specific requirements through a three-step interview process, maintain your GPA, get all your training done, work as a flight instructor and get the minimum hour requirement to apply for a job in the industry,” he said.
All four students passed ExpressJet’s sample test, written knowledge exam, technical interview and human resource interview, leading them to conditional job offers.
“They cannot guarantee a job, but if you satisfy all of those requirements, then they give you a conditional job offer,” LeVesque said, “which is basically saying, ‘Once you meet the hour requirements and do your training, call us up and we’ll set a date for you to come and join the new hire class day.’”
The offer is conditional because each student must first complete all of his or her training before the offer can be sanctioned.
“Most likely, if you get the offer, you are going to stay committed and dedicated because you want to do well,” LeVesque said.
The other students expressed their anticipation and relief over the offers.
“I am very excited and relieved to have a job waiting for me after college,” said Hannah Guajardo, junior aviation flight major.
Amanda Snodgrass, junior aviation flight major, said the offers are a measure of the aviation flight program’s success.
“It is nice to have that opportunity in my back pocket for when I reach eligibility,” she said. “I feel very proud of my accomplishment and everyone else’s, as well. It shows how good of a program CBU has built.”
Howard Dang, junior aviation flight major, said he has been in love with aircrafts since he was a little child.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the unique aspects that make airplanes work,” Dang said. “It’s my dream to become a pilot so it’s definitely a great feeling knowing that I have a job waiting for me after graduation. I believe that if we work hard and believe in God, anything is possible.”
