Career fair is Sun 'n Fun's 'best kept secret'

Job applicants “come dressed for success, interview, and then go throw on shorts to enjoy one of the best aviation events in the world!” she exclaimed.

The online JSfirm.com job board has 400,000 job seeker members and is free for those looking for employment. The company’s managing partners Joel Meanor and Sam Scanlon are both pilots and aircraft owners. They reaffirmed the company's mission of growing the aviation population by establishing three scholarships in 2017 for students studying aircraft maintenance, engineering, and aeronautics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach, Florida, campus.

Hutter noted that the relationship between JSfirm.com and the fly-in made sense and was “centered around giving back to aviation.” The partnership with Sun 'n Fun began several years ago after Robb Williams, the Aerospace Center for Excellence’s executive director, questioned why job seekers had to “pay big dollars” to go to career fairs and stand in long lines, only to end up with little to show for it. Williams instead asked if the aviation career firm could organize a free jobs fair during the season-opening fly-in and expo.

“We agreed and decided to help, and the rest is history,”  continued Hutter. “I think this career fair is one of the best kept secrets.”

Fourteen aviation companies will be represented, and the event is free with a Sun 'n Fun general admission ticket. However, space for job seekers is limited to 300 attendees pursuing full- or part-time work and internships, so advance registration is encouraged.

Those seeking employment can meet representatives from Air Wisconsin, Compass Airlines, Endeavor Air, Envoy, ExpressJet, Frontier Airlines, GE, GoJet Airlines, PSA, Republic Airways, SkyWest, Trans States Airlines, United Airlines, and UPS. “There's enough talent on the floor [at the career fair] to build, sell, service, and fly an aircraft,” said Hutter.

She pointed out that JSfirm.com is not officially in the career fair business but added that “we love to help donate our time where we can. Our hearts are truly in this industry and seeing someone that deserves the job—and in fact get the job through our efforts—makes the trip to the event worthwhile.”

AOPA’s You Can Fly initiatives also recognize the importance of building the pilot community through programs that include scholarships, Rusty Pilots seminars, flying clubs, high school learning curriculum, and other pilot-support mechanisms that make flying safe, fun, and affordable.