Alaska Airlines hyrer som bare det - Curt Lewis

Now's your time to take to the skies.

Alaska Airlines will hire 3,000 people this year, the Seattle-based airline said in a blog post on Monday. Approximately three-quarters of the new jobs will be based in Washington state.

Shortly after hiring its 10,000th employee in Washington, Alaska plans to rapidly expand its frontline positions. For those looking to apply, the new openings will include positions as maintenance technicians, airport operations, customer service representatives, cargo specialists, flight attendants and pilots.

Future employees will be hired by both Alaska and Horizon airlines. The positions will be listed online and, for many, no previous airline experience is necessary.

"An airline needs great planes, but also great people. We're thankful for the community here in our home state that is producing diverse talent and strong local partnerships," Andy Schneider, Alaska Airlines vice president of people, said in the blog post. "Together, we're building long-term, sustainable growth across Washington and, most importantly, giving the next generation a chance to succeed."

The airline now contributes more than $7 billion to the economy of Washington state. Over the past four years, the airline says its employment at the Seattle Tacoma airport grew 35 percent, or about six percent per year.

Much of the airline's rapid growth can be attributed to its merger with Virgin America last year.

Last year, the airline had a nationwide employment of about 21,300 people.