ATP awards scholarships to alumni

Drake Steele, a multiengine instructor the ATP Phoenix-Mesa Gateway training center in Arizona, received a scholarship for an Airbus A320 type rating course and Jay Ribar, a multiengine flight standards instructor in Fort Myers, Florida, got a scholarship for the Airline Transport Pilot Certification Training Program (ATP CTP).

This new scholarship initiative is meant to further alumni careers. Beginning in March, each quarter eligible graduates will be able to apply for and win either a free Airbus 320 type rating program, valued at $10,850, or an ATP CTP, valued at $4,295, at ATP’s JETS in Dallas. ATP Jets is an FAR Part 142 airline training center and offers ATP CTP, type rating, and jet transition programs.

Emphasizing its support for alumni, ATP is also sponsoring passes for events including the Women in Aviation International Conference, the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo, and the Professional Asian Pilots Association Expo. To date, 30 alumni have benefited from that program already.

ATP’s new partnership with Spitfire Elite affords graduates discounts for major airline interview preparation. Two alumni per month will profit from ATP fully sponsoring the comprehensive prep service.

These benefits are part of ATP’s free Alumni Association offerings, such as lifetime access to King Schools’ Flight Instructor Refresher Course. The association provides networking opportunities and career resources, and hosts events like a career expo “to connect alumni with leading airlines and advance their professional development,” according to ATP’s website.

ATP Flight School Vice President of Marketing Michael Arnold said, “These opportunities are already having a meaningful impact on alumni, creating direct pathways to career advancement. One graduate who was sponsored to attend the WAI Conference now has three airline interviews scheduled. Another, who was sponsored to attend SUN ‘n FUN, has already secured a class date with a major airline. These outcomes reflect ATP’s ongoing commitment to supporting graduates well beyond flight training, by providing the resources they need to succeed throughout their careers.”

Applications for the next quarter of scholarships, as well as for sponsorship passes for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, are now open at ATPAlumni.org.