Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Practices. Topic S06-10. Airport Apprenticeship, Internship, Cooperative Education, and Externship Programs

Airports increasingly recognize the value of structured apprenticeship, internship, cooperative education and externship programs in developing a highly qualified workforce. These programs offer training pathways that blend classroom instruction with practical, on the-job learning, making them particularly effective for technical, skilled trades, and operational roles within the airport environment. However, there is variation in how airports design, deliver, and evaluate these programs. A clearer understanding of the current landscape and emerging practices would help airports establish robust apprenticeship, internship, cooperative education or externship programs that aligned with both airports goals and industry workforce needs. Furthermore, understanding the current landscape of practices can help airports optimize these opportunities and align them with organizational objectives, student needs, and industry workforce efforts. The objective of this synthesis is to document the approaches that airports use to structure apprenticeships, internship, cooperative education, and externship programs. The audience for this synthesis is airport leadership, human resources, and operational departments.

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5976
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $75,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 11-03, Topic S06-10

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP)

  Transportation Research Board, 500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Aviation Administration

  800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20591
• Project Managers:

  Christensen, Jordan

• Start Date: 20251110
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airports; Best practices; Education and training
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Education and Training; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01970714
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 11-03, Topic S06-10
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Nov 10 2025 7:23PM