ALPA’s PDG: Serving, Preparing, & Recruiting

By F/O Richard Swindell (United), Professional Development Group Chairman

You’re a member of the Air Line Pilots Association, International, and with that, I’m sure you’ve heard, comes the benefits and services of the largest pilots union in the world. You’re probably familiar with ALPA’s collective bargaining efforts for your own pilot group contract, the union’s extensive Air Safety Organization that works on behalf of all safety, security, and pilot assistance needs, and the Association’s endeavors and voice on both Capitol Hill and Parliament Hill. ALPA’s larger efforts for the pursuit of bettering the airline piloting profession are well known and widely supported by our members.

But what about your own professional development? As a brand-new pilot? As a first officer transitioning to a captain? A regional pilot ready to make the move to a mainline? Or what if you’re ready to take on a leadership role in your union? That’s where ALPA’s Professional Development Group (PDG) comes in—to ensure your maximum membership experience no matter where you are in your piloting career.

PDG pilot volunteers make up the committee members of ALPA’s Education, Leadership, and Membership Committees, and the PDG includes subgroups for furloughed pilots and veterans. The PDG serves as the umbrella group for all these committees; and as the newest chairman, I support and coordinate these committees’ activities to offer greater service and value for your dues dollars.

The Membership Committee. Direct member outreach is the cornerstone of the PDG. The Membership Committee, chaired by Capt. Jolanda Witvliet (United), not only actively engages with new-hire pilots and mentors at all ALPA pilot groups, but also reviews products and program offerings as member benefits, interacts with ALPA pilots and the aviation community at industry events, and developed and updates the membership app launched in 2015. Additionally, the PDG coordinates with the Fee-for-Departure Committee to capitalize on job fairs, open houses, and interview preparation conferences at little or no cost to ALPA attendees to bolster ALPA pilots in their career progression. In the way of specialized membership support, F/O David Pond (United), the Veterans Affairs Committee chairman, and F/O Drew Everett (Hawaiian), the Furlough Assistance coordinator, provide dedicated services to ALPA members requiring a unique level of support.

The Leadership Committee. Engaging and advancing the skillset of our pilot leaders is also a core mission of professional development. The Leadership Committee provides your newly elected local leaders with comprehensive training on the Association’s resources, expertise, and industry and government relationships. In addition, the reps are trained in collective bargaining, building consensus, and representing fellow pilots before the chief pilot. Capt. David Farmer (Delta), the committee chairman, and committee members plan and execute ALPA’s annual Leadership Training Conference and deliver ongoing leadership training and guidance to new or transitioning master executive councils as needed throughout the year.

The Education Committee. Promoting the piloting profession to ensure the future of our industry is the priority of the Education Committee. With a volunteer base of 1,600 ALPA members giving their time when they’re able to visit with potential future aviators, the committee was able to reach 8,900 students last year across the United States and Canada. Led by F/O Mark Haley (United), the committee chairman, volunteers visit with university and elementary, middle, and high school students to cultivate the love of flying with the next generation of ALPA pilots.

The dynamic collaboration among the individual groups that make up the PDG is designed to defend, promote, and advance the future of ALPA members—and the breadth and tempo of this work is only increasing.

As the representative of the PDG, it’s my responsibility to work with ALPA’s national officers and other pilot leaders to identify opportunities that allow us to take advantage of force multiplier activities, using a multilayered approach as often as possible, to deliver greater benefit for our members and expand outreach for the next generation of ALPA members.

Over the next few months, you’ll see articles in upcoming issues of Air Line Pilot regarding the objectives and initiatives of each of the committees within the PDG and what they’re doing to accomplish their mission. Take a couple of minutes to learn more about what this outstanding group of volunteers does on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis to bring service, support, and leadership to work for all of us.

This article was originally published in the October 2016 issue of Air Line Pilot.

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