RAI Jets is delighted to announce that we have successfully launched a new internship program in conjunction with nearby Western Michigan University College of Aviation.
RAI Jets has always had a special connection with Western Michigan University. Our director of operations as well as our sales and marketing director are both alumni from the school, and we’ve also employed pilots and technicians from WMU’s fine College of Aviation in the past. We’re lucky to have one of the largest aviation schools in the country in our own backyard, and for some time we had been talking about starting an internship program to help aviation students get real-life, on-the-job experience. With business booming, 2022 was the year to do it! We’re grateful to Tom Thinnes at Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation for helping us put it all together.
Our program is off to a good start. The interns have been helping us clean and stock the planes and serve as wingwatchers during aircraft moves.
Our first intern, Keaton Jeffrey, started with us in January. Keaton is a sophomore in the WMU aviation technical operations program and is passionate about the field of aviation and the maintenance aspect of it. He’s also a skydiver and the chair of the Skydive Broncos.
A second intern, Brandon Ngetich, joins us this month. Brandon is a senior majoring in aviation flight science at WMU and is from Kenya. Even though he is preparing for a career as a pilot and he already has his private pilot certificate, he will gain valuable experience in ground operations that will make him a well-rounded pilot.
This summer, Mujang Kang will join us as our third intern in the program. He is a graduating senior and major in aviation technical operations at WMU. He is also a licensed pilot, although his natural attention to detail and mechanical skill ushered him into the TechOps program.
We’re impressed with the willingness and enthusiasm of the WMU interns to contribute to our efforts. We’re also proud to offer an internship program that gives them real-life experience and shapes their leadership for the future. In aviation, everyone, including Western Michigan University College of Aviation students, needs some solid work experiences as they launch their career. We’re glad we can help each other with an internship at RAI Jets!