Kindergarten - 12th Grade
Resources for Parents and Educators
Pilots, Flight Attendants, Ramp Agents, oh my! Career awareness is an important part of every student’s journey. We want to inform and inspire you—parents, educators, and high school students—about careers in aviation.
At Southwest®, our Purpose is to connect people to what’s important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel. More than 30 departments at Southwest work together to bring this Purpose to life.
Explore this page to learn about meaningful careers, and discover opportunities for students to gain first-hand experience in the aviation industry at Southwest Airlines®.
At Southwest®, our Purpose is to connect people to what’s important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel. More than 30 departments at Southwest work together to bring this Purpose to life.
Explore this page to learn about meaningful careers, and discover opportunities for students to gain first-hand experience in the aviation industry at Southwest Airlines®.
Let's connect!
Are you a parent or educator looking for information about Southwest Airlines for your students? Fill out this form, and we’ll contact you each semester about upcoming opportunities.
Job opportunities for graduating high school seniors
While Southwest offers a variety of opportunities for graduating high school seniors, we are specifically hiring for the Ramp Agent position. The hard work and guidance of our Ramp Agents is instrumental to our success at Southwest. These Employees direct planes on the ground, handle cargo/baggage, and ensure our operations run smoothly.
High School Internships
Please check back in early 2023 for more information about summer 2023 internships.
Southwest offers a paid, eight-week High School Internship Program in several cities during the summer. Our hands-on program provides high school students with exposure to the world of work and emphasizes the importance of education and opportunities beyond a diploma or degree.
Southwest offers a paid, eight-week High School Internship Program in several cities during the summer. Our hands-on program provides high school students with exposure to the world of work and emphasizes the importance of education and opportunities beyond a diploma or degree.
High school internship details
- $15* per hour
- Part-time, 20-30 hours/week
- Must apply during application window on our website. The link will be available March 6 - 13, 2022
- *$15.87 in Denver (DEN), $16.04 in Los Angeles (LAX), and $15.06 in Oakland (OAK)
Host cities
- Atlanta (ATL), Baltimore (BWI), Chicago (MDW), Dallas (DAL), Denver (DEN), Honolulu (HNL), Houston (HOU), Los Angeles (LAX), Nashville (BNA), Oakland (OAK), Phoenix (PHX), and Sacramento (SMF)
- Dallas (DAL) opportunities: Flight Operations, Technology, Technical Operations, and People
- All other cities: Ground Operations
High school internship requirements
- Resident of internship city area
- Rising high school junior or senior
- 16 years old by June 13, 2022
- 2.75+ cumulative GPA preferred
- Transportation to/from job location
- Documentation to verify identity and eligibility to work at Southwest and obtain security badge
- See job description for full requirements
Preferred experience
- Classroom experience with Microsoft Office Suite
- Ability to work on a Team and individually
- Involvement in extracurricular activities
- Quick learner, self-motivated, organized, and Team-oriented
High school part-time job opportunities
Students aged 16-17 years old; the following opportunities are available in Southwest cities for part-time jobs in aviation that align with school schedules. Please note that these jobs are not with Southwest but with Southwest Contractors. Opportunities are available in the following cities:
Birmingham, Colorado Springs, Columbus, Houston (HOU and IAH), New Orleans, Panama City Beach, FL, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis
Southwest Contractor Huntleigh is hiring Baggage Transporters, Wheelchair Pushers, and Janitorial staff.
Atlanta, Baltimore-Washington (BWI), Denver, Las Vegas, and Tampa
Southwest Contractor Prospect Airport Services is hiring Wheelchair Pushers.
Career exploration
Hear from Greg Muccio, Senior Director of Talent Acquisition, as he shares an overview of what it’s like working at Southwest.
All full-time roles at Southwest require candidates to be at least 18 years old and have authorization to work in the United States.
We look for candidates who care about our Company Values, so consider learning more about their attributes.
We're also known for our amazing benefits, but don’t just take it from us! Check out our Benefits page to learn more about why Southwest could be the start of an incredible career for your student.
All full-time roles at Southwest require candidates to be at least 18 years old and have authorization to work in the United States.
We look for candidates who care about our Company Values, so consider learning more about their attributes.
We're also known for our amazing benefits, but don’t just take it from us! Check out our Benefits page to learn more about why Southwest could be the start of an incredible career for your student.
Coloring pages
Looking for something fun to do at home or in your classroom? Download these Southwest designs and color to your heart's content.
Adopt-a-Pilot® lesson plans
No matter how your plans change, we hope these Adopt-A-Pilot lessons provide some fun and innovative content for your students or at home.
Professional Communications Certification
Southwest Airlines is proud to offer the Professional Communications Certification, designed to prepare the next generation of professionals to communicate effectively in the workplace. The certification validates the knowledge and skills necessary to communicate effectively, think critically, and work with others, resulting in an employee with exceptional interpersonal and customer service skills.
The Southwest Airlines Professional Communications Certification is hosted on the iCEV testing platform. Visit the iCEV website to learn more about the certification and its place in education and the workforce.
Note: While we encourage continued professional development at every stage of life, obtaining the Professional Communications Certification does not guarantee an interview or job with Southwest Airlines.
Questions or comments? Email us at campusreach@wnco.com.
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We will notify you about relevant positions and keep you in mind when we have interesting opportunities.