As Industry Hungers for New Hires, Companies Reach Out to the Next Generation

ProJet Aviation hosted the 16th annual Aviation Education & Career Expo at the Leesburg Executive Airport to the applause of more than 800 attendees. 

The event allowed the gathered students, educators, and parents to hear from keynote speakers and assess the wide variety of careers in aviation that lay off the beaten path. The Expo featured keynote speakers, live demonstrations, and representatives from over 70 aviation organizations, including the usual standbys from the US military, emergency medical airlift, law enforcement, maintenance/avionics repair, government agencies, private aviation, and more. The event was an excellent chance for students 16-22 to speak with industry personnel firsthand to break out of the frame of mind that aviation begins and ends with the airlines. 

During the event, speakers from ProJet Aviation, NASA, the NTSB, the Golden Knights, and PHI Medevac spoke to the assembled crowds, with legacy awards granted to 4 historic industry professionals. This year, Sarah Thompson, co-founder of the Expo, Joe Goodin, Young Eagles mentor, Paul Davy, USAF officer and director of bizdev for Port City Air, and Elaine D. Harmon of the WWII WASP program were all recognized for their assistance to the industry. 

"The theme for this year's event was – The sky is NOT the limit," said ProJet Aviation's Julie O'Brien, Co-founder of the Expo. "We work with our sponsors to provide experiences, mentoring, and scholarships that inspire students to discover and pursue their passion for the skies."

FMI: www.projetaviation.com/aviation-expo