At Endeavor, we take training very seriously.

From the moment employees walk onto campus to the time they hit the line, the expectation is that employees remain laser-focused on the information they’re being offered. For technicians, a two-week Systems course in Minneapolis covers a wide range of new topics — from aircraft familiarization to safety practices. For one Endeavor Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT), being at the Endeavor headquarters meant he got another memorable lesson — how to play in the snow.

New Indianapolis AMT Soliman Sherif — who grew up in Egypt before moving to Tampa —  had never before experienced snow. He shared this fact with Dan Fuller, a fellow IND AMT, who responded by sharing pictures of his children playing in the snow, building a snowman, sledding, and making snow angels. As Tuesday’s class wrapped up, Jeff Wilson, Tech Ops Instructor, suggested the team conclude their day by introducing Sherif to the wonderment of winter weather.

“The guys had been working really hard all week, and they were absorbing all the information we’d shared up to that point,” noted Wilson. “So I said we should end the day and head out and have some fun.”

Wilson’s class, comprised of 13 recent hires from IND, Minneapolis, New York-LGA, and New York-JFK, bundled up and made their way into a snow-covered space outside of the training center. Sherif was the first to jump into the snow, with his fellow classmates following suit, practicing their snow angel-making skills.

“It was really a team effort for us to do this for him,” said Fuller. “And I’m pretty sure he was the first guy to throw a snowball.”

“We’ve never done something like that as a class before,” noted Wilson. “With it being so close to the holidays, it was a nice way to end the day, and I believe it helped to bring these guys closer together, too.”

And for Sherif, it made for a memory that will last a lifetime. “It felt good to have that experience,” said Sherif. “I can’t really describe what it feels like to be in snow for the first time in my life. I’m happy we were able to do it. It was really cool.”

Literally and figuratively.