Opening Eyes And Opportunities

Using a two-pronged approach, San Fernando Valley school educators and students participated in an introduction to aviation-related careers, opportunities, and resources at Van Nuys Airport (VNY) Friday.

The educators' program found more than 50 career counselors from more than 30 area schools participating in a first-of-its-kind forum, "Flight Path to the Future." There they learned about professional and technical aviation-related occupations and obtained the tools and resources they need to guide students interested in these careers.

Educators heard from panels on professional and technical careers in aviation, toured VNY, and also heard from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's deputy director and community liaison on the Career Technical Education Initiative.

Panelists represented aviation trade and professional occupations, including officials/instructors from Cal State Northridge, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the FAA, US Service Academies, and Van Nuys Flight Center.

Sponsors of the career counselor event were VNY, the LA Unified School District, and the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley.

At the same time this was going on, more than 40 Sylmar High School students shadowed" mentors who work at VNY, as well as VNY tenants, and learned about aviation opportunities in airfield operations, corporate flight operations, aircraft sales and management and more.

VNY, ranked as the world's busiest general aviation airport, currently supports more than 10,000 jobs. Thousands more are expected to be available in Los Angeles County by 2014 in areas like aerospace engineering, aircraft/service mechanic work, installation and maintenance, and more.

The goal of the Flight Path to the Future event is to help counselors learn how to better direct students into these fields, often based on vital math and science skills, and enhance the region's competitiveness.

FMI: www.ebudget.ca.gov/BudgetSummary/HED/26642232.html, www.lawa.org/vny