Last week, I was in Oklahoma City visiting the FAA Academy. I met several ATO managers who hosted this month’s Meet and Greet event. For those who don’t know, Meet and Greets are organized by the ATO to connect academy students with managers from the field. They are meant to provide the information and resources to our newest employees, as they prepare to transition to their facilities. As always, last week’s Meet and Greet was a big hit, connecting 10 managers with over a 100 academy students. The managers sat down with the students to talk about their career paths and experiences with the agency and answer questions about life in the field.

This time around, we were also shooting some footage for a new “Academy Life Preview” series. We reached out to students, asking them to share their study tips, talk about places to visit and things to do while in OKC. The response was overwhelming; over 30 students spoke on tape. They had advice on best places to live, shared tips for test prep, and talked about their upcoming PVs. Many mentioned the strong support they receive from the academy staff and instructors. Everyone was grateful for the personal touch at the Meet and Greet, thanking the managers for the open and honest discussion and appreciating information about life in the field.

Follow up:

I am thankful for the students’ openness and the time that they took to share their thoughts. The information about their life and studies will be of great help to those who are yet to enter the FAA Academy. Remembering my own experiences, I realized that a lot of things were different back when I was at the academy, but some things are still the same. Everyone I met last week was fully committed to learning and striving for excellence. So I wanted to thank the students and the managers for their commitment, hard work, and taking the time to make the academy experience more welcoming for everyone. Happy Thanksgiving!