Career Opportunities in Aviation: Airport Tour Exposes NJROTC Cadets to the Endless Possibilities that the Industry Offers
At the Boca Raton Airport, one of our primary objectives is to expose high school students to the numerous career options in the aviation industry. While many students think the only option is to be a pilot or flight attendant, we know that there are a number of positions behind the scenes that are just as necessary.
On Thursday, May 2nd, a select group of Boca Raton High School students — all of which were Navy JROTC aviation cadets — got to see firsthand many of the opportunities available in aviation.
“They got a chance to learn about the Airport’s history, our role in the community, (and) what we do as Airport staff,” said Scott Kohut, Deputy Director of the Boca Raton Airport Authority (BRAA). “They’ve been out on the field interacting with the FBOs (Fixed Base Operators), the mechanics, the air traffic controllers, the CBP (Customs and Border Protection) folks; really getting to see what goes on at an airport like Boca Raton and what career options are available.”
Cultivating a Passion for Aviation
The event was designed to further cultivate a passion for aviation amongst students who have already shown an interest in the flourishing industry.
“They’re aviation cadets,” said Edwin Morales NJROTC Teacher at Boca Raton High School. “They’re taking an aviation class. So they have an inherent interest in aviation.”
Jeffrey Johnson, the Dean of the College of Aeronautics at Lynn University, highlighted how critical such events are for students. “Being an educator, it’s nice to capture them early to tell them about the importance of education and the opportunities that are available to them.”
Students’ Thoughts on the Airport Tour
While the students said they enjoyed touring the entire Airport, the ATC tower was the star of the show.
“My favorite part about today was seeing the air traffic controllers and seeing the Lynn University flight simulator,” said Ella Schilling, NJROTC Cadet at Boca Raton High School.
Fellow NJROTC Cadet Rachel Rossi agreed, stating her “favorite part about all of this was going to the air traffic control tower and seeing how it works in there.”
Possibly the most enlightening part of the tour was that it enabled the students to see how many different people are involved in running an airport.
“It’s not all about flying and the pilots,” said Nicolas Messina, NJROTC Cadet at Boca Raton High School. “There’s also dozens of moving parts that have to be involved in the whole entire process and essentially, the whole entire Airport’s like a running city.”
Embarking on a Career in Aviation
For students that want to explore a career in aviation, there are certainly opportunities available, even without a college degree.
“We can do the training, you know. That’s what we provide,” said Dan Bayard, Operations Manager at Atlantic Aviation. “Getting kids exposed to it and showing them that there is another option and that they don’t have to go in debt to go out and be a good contributing member of society. That’s something we want to promote.”
Clara Bennett, Executive Director of the BRAA, shared the same sentiment. “We want to make sure that they (students) understand that all of these fields are available to them.”
You can learn more about the Airport too, watch the tour video below:
