Pisciottano: $50,000 state grant awarded to Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics
Allegheny County Delegation December 17, 2020 | 11:37 AM
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 17 – The Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics has been awarded a $50,000 grant to upgrade equipment used to train students pursuing aviation careers, state Rep.-elect Nick Pisciottano announced.
Pisciottano, D-Allegheny, said the Keystone Communities Program grant process began under his predecessor, former state Rep. Bill Kortz, and he was able to complete Kortz’s efforts and secure the grant with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. PIA will use the grant to replace its 1200Y3 transponder bench unit test with a more updated version, which will provide students the ability to accurately test transponders and equipment used for air traffic control reporting, he added.
“This Keystone Communities Program grant will help to ensure that PIA graduates remain at the top of the hiring list for aviation employers all across the industry for years to come,” Pisciottano said. “As young people realize careers in the technical trades are just as financially rewarding and professionally gratifying as those obtained with a four-year college degree, we hope more people will see schools like PIA – a prestigious, nationally top-ranked program – as an excellent option toward a great career, right here in our backyard.”
“PIA is grateful to work with the Keystone Communities Program to ensure that this grant is put to practical use in a way that will enhance the career prospects of our talented local students,” said Suzanne Markle, PIA president and CEO. “As one of the first trade schools in our region and one of the top technical schools in the U.S., PIA is proud to provide a pathway to a rewarding career for hands-on learners who dream of building great things – the same dream that has fueled job growth in Pittsburgh for well over a century and counting.”
PIA, recognized by Forbes as a top ranking two-year trade school, is a nonprofit family of schools with locations in Pittsburgh, Hagerstown, Md., Myrtle Beach, Fla., and Vienna, Ohio, offering programs in aviation maintenance and aviation electronics. More information can be found at www.pia.edu.