SALINA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State University has partnered with a regional airline to help students who want to be pilots with their tuition and job placement.

The university's Polytechnic Campus in Salina has partnered with Piedmont Airlines and its cadet program, The Wichita Eagle reported .

Piedmont's cadet program will provide the benefits to select students enrolled at the school's professional pilot program and who have their Certified Flight Instructor rating.

Students accepted into the cadet program will be eligible to receive tuition reimbursement once they have completed 500 hours of flight time. The students will receive a financial incentive with every 100 hours of completed flight time up to 1,000 hours.

Ben Jaffee, the senior assistant chief flight instructor at the university, said students are eligible for graduation as well as their Airline Transport Pilot rating after completing 1,000 hours of flight time and will be guaranteed a spot Piedmont's next new hire training class.

Jaffee said it's not clear how many students Piedmont will accept into the cadet program.

Piedmont officials plan to meet with prospective students for its program on April 17.

Jaffee said the school has a similar partnership with Mesa Airlines

The airline partnership programs come as there's a shortage of pilots nationwide. The shortage is driven partially by continued, growing demand for air travel, retirements and the transition of pilots from regional to major airlines.

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Information from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, http://www.kansas.com

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