Delta Air Lines is launching the Delta Propel Pilot Career Path Program to identify, select and develop the next generation of pilots.

This industry leading program complements the traditional, existing paths to becoming a Delta pilot and has three main areas of focus — college, company and community.

The three-pronged approach will help Delta support future aviators as well as current Delta employees who have a passion for aviation and strong interest in becoming a Delta pilot.

During the next decade, Delta expects to hire more than 8,000 pilots to staff the thousands of daily flights it operates around the world as other pilots approach mandatory retirement age.

The Propel program will supplement the airline’s current recruiting structure, which includes recruiting and hiring pilots currently flying in the airline, military and corporate sectors.

Regardless of the path, any pilot participating in the program will meet all of the qualification requirements and testing aspects of Delta’s current pilot hiring model, which will be metered over the course of their development.

In addition to the financial options currently available to students at flight training providers and Delta's collegiate partners, Delta is exploring whether other potential financing opportunities might be available for employees and students.

The program builds on Delta’s long-standing investments in the future of aviation professionals and the communities it serves worldwide.

Additional information about the program and the airline’s partner universities can be found on propel.delta.com.

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