September 17, 2026
B. is a 2026 graduate of A-Tech. He’s also extremely intelligent and, by his own admission, painfully shy—which made it that much harder to convince him to step outside his comfort zone. His school counselor and his GRIT coach worked together to encourage him to give the summer aviation program a try.
It took some convincing, but B. said yes. He passed both his pilot exam and his drone exam, walking away with five certifications by the end of the summer.
Then came the real question: what’s next? Throughout the aviation program, guest speakers from across the industry visit the classroom each day. One organization stood out for the earning potential waiting at the end of its 16-month program: PIA. B.’s original plan had been to apply for a job with the Geek Squad at Best Buy. Instead, his GRIT coach took him on a visit to the PIA campus to see it for himself.
B. applied, was accepted, and enrolled. He begins PIA Youngstown in January 2027. Along the way, his coach helped him apply for adult WIOA funding and work through the hesitations that come with a big decision like this one. If he completes the program, B. is on track to start his career earning $86,000 straight time.
GRIT is proud to walk alongside B. as he takes this next step toward the career he’s built for himself.
