Elizabeth City State University, the historically Black educational institution in North Carolina, has announced the establishment of the Aviation Workforce Development Program. Funded in part by a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration, the program will educate 80 high school students about the wide variety of career opportunities in the aviation industry with the goal to recruit students into the university’s aviation program.
Students in the program will be able to take college coursework, study for FAA exams, and obtain a drone pilot license. Students will participate in aviation-related field trips, take simulated flights in ECSU’s state-of-the-art flight and air traffic control simulators, and enjoy discovery flights in the university’s trainer aircraft. College scholarships will be available for students who complete the program.
“The aviation sector is expected to face serious workforce shortages in the near future, and we have the opportunity to provide a wonderful career path for high school students,” says Kuldeep Rawat, dean of the School of Science, Aviation, Health, and Technology at Elizabeth City State University. “Women and African-Americans are heavily underrepresented in the aviation workforce, especially aircraft pilots. Our program will help close the opportunity gap by allowing underrepresented youth to reach their full potential.”
