What began as a curious 8th grader’s tour of Berks Career and Technology Center (BCTC) has come full circle for Tyler Hails, a Fleetwood Area High School senior and standout student in the Drafting Design Technology program. Ironically, the visit that first inspired his journey is one he’s helped repeat for others—serving as a Student Ambassador and tour guide for incoming students over the past three years.
“I remember that 8th grade tour of BCTC so clearly,” Tyler recalled. “It opened my eyes to all these possibilities. I never thought I’d be the one leading those same tours someday.”
With a long-standing passion for architecture, Tyler gravitated toward art projects that involved building design and structure layout. “In art class, every project I did was focused on designing and drawing buildings,” he said. “Originally, I was interested in civil engineering. I wanted to build better roads and bridges. But over time, I found myself drawn more to houses and the architectural side of engineering.”
At BCTC, Tyler immersed himself in both architectural and mechanical engineering concepts within the Drafting Design Technology program. Initially, he planned to pursue a four-to-six-year college degree in architecture. But as he progressed through high school, a different opportunity presented itself—one that would reshape his future.
“I attended presentations at BCTC from the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA),” Tyler said. “They talked about Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT) and Aviation Electronics Technology (AET), and something about it just clicked.”
Between his junior and senior year, Tyler toured PIA’s Maryland campus, where he not only explored the program but took and passed a math assessment, securing his spot in the Aircraft Maintenance Technician program before even starting 12th grade.
“After the tour, I knew this was the right direction. It’s more career ready. I can get my life started quicker instead of taking years and years—and a lot of debt—to become a licensed architect.”
In his senior year, Tyler attended a third PIA presentation at BCTC and learned about the prestigious Piedmont Airlines scholarship. This program offers a conditional job offer and covers the cost of tuition and testing for selected candidates. Tyler applied—and was awarded the scholarship.
Following completion of the AMT program and the scholarship contract, Tyler plans to continue working with Piedmont, a regional carrier and subsidiary of American Airlines Group. Long-term, he’s considering returning to school to study architecture or exploring engineering positions within the aviation industry.
“In drafting, I’ve always liked the design side and figuring out how things are internally laid out,” he said. “With the certifications I’ll earn, I could work on aircraft, power plants, aircraft carriers—even nuclear submarines. There are so many different paths this could lead to.”
For Tyler, what started as a tour of possibilities has become a journey of self-discovery, ambition, and career clarity. And as he prepares for takeoff into the world of aviation maintenance, he remains grounded by his love for design and engineering—and the knowledge that sometimes, the best career plans are the ones you didn’t see coming.