Who We Serve
Through program support, we help students take their first steps toward becoming pilots, mechanics, dispatchers, aviation professionals and leaders in their communities.
The Paneok Project
Paneok is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing aviation education, mentorship, and career exploration opportunities for rural Alaska youth.
Through the Paneok Project, we operate aviation classes and work with established partner organizations to connect students with meaningful training opportunities.
Programs include 10-day intensives in Introduction to Aviation, Pilot Ground School, and Aviation Maintenance, as well as 30-day advanced training programs leading into paid summer internships.
High school students travel from rural communities and stay with participating nonprofit organizations or school districts. Students are transported to our training facility each day for classes and hands-on learning.
When grant or donor funding is available, Paneok offers sponsored seats to partner organizations and eligible students. Classes are offered on a tuition basis when sponsored funding is unavailable.
The Paneok Board of Directors oversees the program development, funding priorities, partner participation, and the selection of scholarship and sponsored seat recipients.
Impact
Industry demand for aviation workers keeps growing.
Boeing's 2025 Pilot and Technician Outlook projects the industry will need nearly 2.4 million new aviation professionals through 2044. North America alone accounts for an estimated 119,000 new pilots and 123,000 new maintenance technicians over that period.
Piloting and maintenance are only two of many essential jobs in Alaskan aviation. Runway maintenance, ramp agent, flight dispatcher, weather observer, and air traffic controller are a few of the myriad jobs this industry relies on. In a state where aviation functions as basic infrastructure, a shortage anywhere has direct, local consequences.
