Neighbor News
Westmoor High School Students Explore United Airlines Technical Operations at SFO
The field trip was part of an ongoing collaboration between Mentoring Mission, Westmoor HS, and United Airlines Technical Operations
In late March, fourteen students from Mr. David Dyssegard’s Automotive Technology class at Westmoor High School spent a full day inside United Airlines’ Technical Operations Center at San Francisco International Airport, gaining rare, hands-on exposure to aviation maintenance careers.
The visit was coordinated by Bill Whitaker (SFOMM & LINE+ Training), with support from United Airlines Human Resources, including Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition Karen Aquino‑Chang and Maintenance Training Instructor Jerry Tsujimoto (SFOED). United also provided several newly hired AMTs as chaperones, giving students an authentic look at the transition from training programs into full-time aviation maintenance roles.
Students toured multiple areas of United’s operation, including the widebody hangar, engine shop, avionics bay, and materials/storekeeper division, where technicians explained aircraft systems, safety procedures, and the teamwork required to keep United’s fleet flying safely.
The day concluded with a career workshop led by United’s Talent Acquisition team, where students practiced mock interview questions and learned how major airlines evaluate candidates for technical roles.
“Exposure is everything,” said Bill Whitaker. “When students can stand under a widebody aircraft, talk directly with working mechanics, and see the scale of this operation, it changes how they understand the career. It makes aviation maintenance real.”
One student shared, “I didn’t know how much goes into keeping a plane safe until I saw it up close. Meeting the mechanics and seeing the hangar made me want to learn more.”
“This experience showed students what aviation mechanics actually do — and how achievable these careers are,” said Carol Valentino‑Barry, Executive Director of Mentoring Mission. “United’s team invested in our students, and that makes all the difference.”
This field trip is part of an ongoing collaboration between Mentoring Mission, Westmoor High School, and United Airlines Technical Operations, designed to expose students to high-demand technical careers and build early awareness of aviation pathways.
About Mentoring Mission
Mentoring Mission is a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting high school students with industry professionals to build career awareness, confidence, and pathways into high-demand technical fields. Through partnerships with airlines, aviation organizations, and workforce agencies, Mentoring Mission creates authentic learning experiences that help students understand real-world careers and develop the skills needed to succeed. The organization’s initiatives support scalable, industry-aligned workforce development models that prepare students for meaningful futures. For more information: www.mentoringmission.org
