CLEVELAND, Miss. — Delta State University’s Commercial Aviation program is offering eligible students a pathway to careers with Delta Air Lines through the airline’s Propel Pilot Career Path Program.
As a collegiate partner in the program, Delta State connects students’ academic studies and flight training with career opportunities at Endeavor Air, Delta’s wholly owned regional airline, and, ultimately, Delta Air Lines.
Students who meet the program’s eligibility requirements can apply while working as certified flight instructors. Those selected receive a qualified job offer contingent on meeting the program’s progression requirements. The program also streamlines the hiring process through a single interview for opportunities with Delta and Endeavor.
Joe Saia, executive director of flight operations at Delta State and a retired Delta Air Lines pilot, said the partnership provides students with a more defined route into the airline industry.
Saia described Propel as one of the leading career development opportunities for aspiring professional pilots, noting that the program helps students transition from college flight training to airline employment.
The pathway allows students to earn their degrees at Delta State, gain experience as flight instructors, advance to Endeavor Air and work toward careers with Delta Air Lines.
“Having spent much of my professional life in the airline industry, I know how challenging the journey to an airline cockpit can be,” Saia said. “What makes Propel so special is that it gives our students something incredibly valuable: a clearly defined pathway to their future.”
Saia said the partnership reflects the university’s commitment to preparing students for long-term careers in aviation.
“We’re not simply teaching students how to fly airplanes. We’re helping prepare them for a lifetime of opportunities in professional aviation,” he said.
Delta State’s Commercial Aviation program combines academic instruction, professional flight training and industry partnerships to prepare students for careers in the aviation industry.
