A number of regional workforce and industry partners descended on the campus of Pierpont Community and Technical College to inform students of career opportunities after graduation.
On Thursday, April 23, Pierpont Community and Technical College’s Aviation Maintenance Technology and Applied Process Technology programs played host to this year’s Aviation Technology Career Fair. The event took place at the Robert C. Byrd National Aerospace Education Center, and saw a record number of employers from various sectors such as workforce development, manufacturing, aerospace, and aviation showing off their opportunities to the students in attendance.
Each year the career fair has seen growth in attendance as employer demand for well trained technicians continues to strengthen. Pierpont’s role as a hub for workforce development in North Central West Virginia continues to expand.
HealthNet Aeromedical Services made quite a splash at the event with a special dual helicopter landing on the grass lawn near the aerospace education center just before the original start of the fair. The students in attendance were able to watch the landing and then tour the helicopters. They were also given the ability to converse with HealthNet representatives about technical career opportunities, aviation maintenance, and more.
In an article posted on Pierpont Community and Technical College’s website, the president and CEO of HealthNet Aeromedical Services, Clinton Burley, talked about the company’s presence at the fair, saying, “HealthNet has a statewide presence, but the heart of our program is our people. We can’t fly without expert maintainers. Partnering with Pierpont allows us to show students that they can train locally, work locally and build high-paying aviation careers right here in West Virginia.”
HealthNet is a not-for-profit organization that has been operating in West Virginia for the past four decades. Representatives at the Aviation Technology Career Fair spoke with students about career opportunities such as leadership opportunities, heavy maintenance, and aircraft maintenance technicals.
Other industry partners spoke about the importance of the aviation maintenance program at Pierpont, and how much it supports the aerospace economy in West Virginia. “You can’t have an aviation industry without trained mechanics. Pierpont is an essential asset to our aerospace community. The quality of graduates coming out of this program is exceptional, and the opportunities for long-term career growth are real,” said the president of KCI Aviation, Chuck Koukoulis.
The career fair was planned and executed thanks to the collaborative efforts between the Applied Process Technology and Aviation Maintenance Technology programs at Pierpont. The Program Director of Aviation Maintenance Technology, Brad Gilbert, teamed up with the Program Coordinator of Applied Process Technology, Blake Lillard, to set up more employer participation this year, so that students could get the clearest picture of what is available to them in the advanced manufacturing and aviation industries upon graduation.
Gilbert said of the event, “As we continue to grow these programs, it’s critical that students can clearly see what comes next. This event brings employers directly to our aerospace center and shows students the scope of opportunities available when they complete their training.”
Some of the many employers who made their case to students at the Aviation Technology Career Fair were Aurora Flight Sciences, Aeromedical Services, HealthNet, KCI Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, MHI, and many more industry and workforce partners from around the region.
April’s Aviation Technology Career Fair was the third and last of the Spring 2026 career fairs hosted by Pierpont Community and Technical College around the North Central West Virginia region.
The first event that Pierpont hosted took place at the Advanced Technology Center in Fairmont, West Virginia. Students in attendance were able to network with employers in manufacturing, welding, information systems, business, energy, and healthcare. Members of four year universities in West Virginia were also in attendance.
Pierpont’s second event took place at Clarksburg’s Gaston Caperton Center. Students who attended that event were able to learn about transfer opportunities and career paths in fields like veterinary technology, early childhood education, emergency medical services, and criminal justice.
As a whole, these three Spring career fairs demonstrate Pierpont’s stated commitment to workforce development through the collaboration of education and industry. The school views events like these as a way to support students as they make their way into their chosen industries and career fields.
More information about Pierpont Community and Technical College can be found at the school’s website.