Episode #62: "What If We've Been Preparing for Aviation Jobs All Wrong? With Joel English”

In this episode, host Michael Sangster interviews Joel English, President Emeritus for Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Centura College, and Tidewater Tech, and he is the President of English Advisory, a higher education consulting firm based in Norfolk, Virginia. The conversation delves into the importance of career education and its transformative impact on students' lives. Joel shares his journey from academia to career education, highlighting the moral dilemma he faced and how it led him to help students gain practical skills and achieve employment. The discussion also covers the pressing need for skilled aviation maintenance workers and the launch of a new documentary, 'Tradeswomen,' aimed at inspiring more women to enter the trades. Joel emphasizes the importance of mentorship and collaboration across borders to address the growing demand for skilled workers.

This episode is sponsored by eLoft Careers. eLoft Careers offers online, on-demand job search courses designed specifically for students, teaching them how to build standout resumes and cover letters, master interviews, and navigate today’s job market with confidence.

⁠Want to see for yourself? You can actually try it with a small group of students for free! Just reach out to info@eloftcareers.com before August 15, 2025, to set up a pilot. To learn more, visit eloftcareers.com⁠

What to expect

01:57 Guest Introduction: Joel English

03:12 Joel's Career Journey and Insights

04:44 Aviation Maintenance and Education

12:37 The Tradeswomen Documentary

23:44 Mentorship and Career Impact

35:25 Closing Remarks and Future Episodes

Read the full transcript here 

Listen to past episodes here 

Previous
Previous

Episode #63: "150,000 Success Stories: The Legacy of Anderson College 140 years later (and counting) with Heather Yang”

Next
Next

Episode #61: "Overwhelmed by Career Choices? Consider the Navy with Lieutenant Commander (LCdr) Chris Elliott”