Hundreds of students were introduced to the wealth of career opportunities in the aerospace and aviation industry at March’s Student Aviation Summit.
In early March, more than 500 8th grade students from all over Marion County descended on East Fairmont High School for a Student Aviation Summit. The event was put on with the help of the West Virginia K-12 Speakers Bureau. The summit was put on in order to introduce students to the large range of career opportunities available in the aviation and aerospace industries through a long day of hands-on interactions.
The summit was split into two different sessions due to so many 8th graders taking part in the event. The first session was an interactive presentation that culminated in a Q&A session. Leaders from West Virginia’s best aviation programs, like Pierpont Community and Technical College were there. Professionals from the Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex, Fairmont State University, Marshall University, and West Virginia University were also in attendance. The professionals spoke to the students about careers in their industry in West Virginia that they could look forward to.
After the question and answer portion of the presentation, students were able to take part in more hands-on activities that showcased what an aviation career might entail.
Brad Gilbert serves as Pierpont’s Aviation Maintenance Technology Program Director, and presented students with demonstrations on various engine components while talking about how technicians do maintenance on those components.
Career and Corporate Training Specialist, Stephanie Cunningham, was also in attendance and showed students the workforce development opportunities that Pierpont offers. She also demonstrated a Virtual Reality welding simulator.
Skylar Thompson is a member of Pierpont’s admissions department, and talked to students about available programs, and financial aid, as well as describing the enrollment process at the school.
One of the main themes of the event was that, through state funded support, aerospace and aviation careers are accessible. Gilbert noted to the students that a future career is a realistic goal for every student attending the event, aviation or otherwise.
In an article on Pierpont Community and Technical College’s website, Gilbert was quoted as saying, “It’s great when we can all come together to give the kids a perspective on careers that they have probably never thought of. I encouraged everyone to learn about the WV Invests grant. I told them to take advantage of that opportunity and do something after high school. Get the grant and move forward from there, no matter what industry you are interested in.”
More information about all the programs available at Pierpont Community and Technical College can be found at the school’s website.