1 week Ago By Alexander Mitchell
Southwest Airlines has continued to expand its presence in the Denver Metropolitan Area over the past decade. On April 2, the carrier made its latest move by opening up a new Southwest Airlines University training facility. Airline officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony with leaders from Colorado Aerotropolis, Adams County, Denver International Airport, Jag Logistics, and the City and County of Denver last week to celebrate the launch of this new training hub Get all the latest aviation news right here on Simple Flying.
This new facility offers more than 23,000 square feet of learning space for airline employees of all kinds, and it is located in Aurora near the JAG Logistics Center, which sits adjacent to Denver International Airport. The facility has been built with Southwest's signature future-oriented vision in mind, with the carrier claiming that there is available room for a 12,000-square-foot expansion if eventually deemed worthwhile. A Deeper Look At This New Facility The new facility is part of a large-scale expansion surrounding Denver International Airport, and it emerged as a collaboration between industry leaders in Adams County as well as the surrounding cities of Aurora, Brighton, Commerce City, Federal Heights, and Thornton.
The initiative is meant to help spur investment and growth in the commercial aviation industry, with an emphasis on safety and continued growth. The new facility is set to offer Southwest Airlines a unique opportunity to train thousands more employees by using all the latest tools, with the facility set to enter the broader Southwest Airlines University network . As one would expect, the airline is undeniably excited by today's news.
In a statement made to Colorado Community Media , the carrier's Vice President, Bobby Loeb, had the following words to share: "Equipping our employees to do their jobs safely while delivering world-class hospitality is our top priority." Loeb further went on to underscore the importance of its partnerships and the purpose that this new training facility would serve. He further noted that it would allow the carrier to further invest in the latest equipment, advanced training tools and functional spaces that could allow the airline to maintain a focus on safety while doubling down on its connections to the greater Denver community .
The Colorado Aerotropolis, the development that this new training center will be a central element of, originated from a philosophy of collaboration among both public and private partners. Commissioner Lynn Baca of the Adams County Board of Commissioners and Airport Coordinating Committee was quick to celebrate Southwest's decision to open this new training facility and highlighted just how significantly the new facility would be able to drive sustained economic growth in the region . The quintet was appointed to Southwest Airlines' board effective on November 1, 2024.
It is important to note that this new facility will not be a place where Southwest Airlines pilots are trained. For all kinds of pilot training, Southwest Airlines has a Corporate Campus located in Dallas that serves as the principal home for airline pilots while in the initial stages of their Southwest career. This new training hub will primarily serve to train employees who will enter other kinds of airport positions.
So What Exactly Is Southwest Airlines University? After reading this news, you might be rightfully wondering what exactly Southwest Airlines University is and what purpose the organization serves. For starters, Southwest Airlines University (SWA U) is a corporate learning organization with a student body of around 60,000 enrolled employees. The airline's mission is to use its corporate learning center to give employees the tools and skills needed to excel in their capacity as Southwest employees .
An employee's tenure at the airline begins with a Day One "red carpet" onboarding celebration experience, which is quickly followed by numerous technical and professional development classes. The organization has been quick to embrace remote learning, offering both in-person and remote courses to help promote employee career growth and incentivize the learning process..
