The Boeing Company ranked No. 12 on the Fair360 2023 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list.
Boeing has announced $950,000 in scholarships for pilot training to help diversify the talent pipeline for careers in commercial aviation.
“The demand for qualified and diverse pilots remains high at airlines worldwide. While becoming a pilot provides a lifelong career, access to training remains a barrier to entry for many,” said Ziad Ojakli, Executive Vice President of Government Operations at Boeing. “These organizations are helping the next generation of pilots realize their full potential while also showing communities that are historically underrepresented in the industry that a future in aviation is possible.”
The company is donating $500,000 to fund 25 scholarships with the following five aviation organizations:
- Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
- Latino Pilots Association
- Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals
- Sisters of the Skies
- Women in Aviation International
Boeing is also donating $450,000 to Fly Compton, a nonprofit in Los Angeles committed to introducing underrepresented youth to career opportunities in aerospace. The funding will support flight training classes offered to students in Compton and introduce career topics related to designing, building and maintaining airplanes and drones.
“We are seeing more women and individuals from diverse backgrounds entering the pilot profession because of the mentorship and guidance that aviation organizations like these provide for early career professionals,” said Chris Broom, Vice President of Commercial Training Solutions for Boeing Global Services. “The work they’re doing to implement changes needed to remove social and financial barriers to entry are critical.”
The company has invested more than $8.5 million since 2019 to bring pilot training programs to underrepresented populations in communities across the U.S.
