A new program offered for NIU students can make the dream of becoming a commercial pilot a reality.

Elgin Community College is offering a program that allows students a chance to earn their pilot’s licenses and still go to school.

Until last fall, the only two state schools that offered programs in aviation were Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

“Because SIU and the U of I were the only two schools to offer any kind of programs, they were hard to get into. One out of five students were accepted into the program,” said John Bullock, general manager of the DuPage Airport.

“This means that for every one student that wanted to become a pilot, four were denied.”

The program allows average students a chance at becoming pilots, he added.

To complete the program, students work two years and fly one or two days a week.

The cost of the program falls under lab fees. The student pays tuition plus another $13,000 to $15,000 in lab fees.

Fifteen students are enrolled in the program, which began last fall. Because the program is new, ECC anticipates a bigger turnout next year but plans to keep the number around 50, Bullock said.

For females, the program is particularly beneficial.

“Since there are few women that are pilots, airlines will hire women with fewer flight hours to fill quotas. The road is not quite as difficult for women,” said Bullock.

Surprisingly, airlines also are not looking for people with degrees in aviation.

“What people do not realize is that airlines are a business and they hire people that can work for them long after they can’t fly anymore,” Bullock said. “They are really interested in two things: a college degree and a pilot’s license with the required amount of flight time.”

Bullock foresees a coming shortage of pilots and said aviation is a good career to enter at this point.