Pathways to Aviation provides solutions to the aviation industry’s growing workforce needs by informing, inspiring, and engaging its future labor force.
Pathways to Aviation addresses workforce shortages and enhances economic development, which significantly impacts the aviation industry. We are:
Empowering a new generation of aviation experts and leaders.
Awarding scholarships to students attending four-year, two-year, and specialty instruction.
Spearheading a vibrant aviation community, fostering informative outreach, mutually-benefit collaborations, and workforce connections and pursuits.
Fostering preferential hiring consideration of local and nearby talent.
Forging new territory in aviation, aerospace, and unmanned aerial systems.
The Futures in Aerospace initiative connects students to industry, aviation executives, and college and career opportunities. Students obtain an understanding of their hard and soft skills, articulate those skills on their resumes, share the skills and passions through face-to-face interactions, and develop strong relationships with aviation leaders.
1 Location 20 Students
2 Locations 86 Students
January – Workshop #1 The session features presentations by three industry leaders, who describe their career journeys, what they’re currently doing within the profession, and advice for students. Upon completion of the presentations, the workshop transitions to a career readiness discussion. This includes an in-depth description of the career mentoring program, thorough review of the specially-designed career planning workbook, various ways to search for jobs, and what students can expect to receive throughout the workshop series.
February – Workshop #2 The session features presentations by three industry leaders, who describe their career journeys, what they’re currently doing within the profession, and advice for students. Upon completion of the presentations, the workshop transitions to a career readiness discussion. This includes an in-depth discussion of the characteristics employers seek in new hires. Students then identify their own hard and soft skills, sharing them with fellow students. Students gain greater understanding of their own skills, while gaining an appreciation for skills they may be lacking, yet wish to add.
March – Workshop #3 The session features presentations by three industry leaders, who describe their career journeys, what they’re currently doing within the profession, and advice for students. Upon completion of the presentations, the workshop transitions to a career readiness discussion. This includes a detailed description of each element of a quality resume. Students articulate their skills, experiences, and achievements in a written format.
April – Workshop #4 The session features presentations by three industry leaders, who describe their career journeys, what they’re currently doing within the profession, and advice for students. Upon completion of the presentations, the workshop transitions to a career readiness discussion. This includes an in-depth discussion and practice in the areas of first impressions, meeting and greeting, personal branding, elevator pitches, conversations, and meeting follow-ups. Students learn how to verbalize their career interests, skills, and experiences to both peers and professionals.
May – Aviation Networking Night The culmination of the workshop series places students in a structured networking situation with aerospace industry executives and leaders of other industries. The conversations are career-driven, as the students utilize the skills acquired throughout the career mentoring series. The goals are to establish new professional relationships as well as seek job shadowing, volunteering, internship, and part- and full-time job opportunities.
Each student receives a specially-designed career planning workbook, which provides program details, list of all colleges offering aeronautical programs, aerospace industry salary tables, and career planning tips.
Specialty Interests Engineering Pilot (Fixed Wing) Mechanics Technology Unmanned Aerial Systems Pilot (Helicopter) Avionics Accounting Flight Attendant Management Inventory Executive Sales & Marketing Finance Administration Interior Specialist Dispatch Technical Writing
59.3% 53.1% 40.6% 35.9% 31.2% 26.5% 23.4% 15.6% 15.6% 15.6% 10.9% 9.3% 9.3% 7.8% 6.2% 4.6% 3.1% 1.5%
Career Planning Wishes Meeting Experts Attending Workshops Learning Networking Skills Learning Interviewing Skills Adding References Receiving Mentorship Learning Resume Skills
25 Schools
Class Levels
87.5% 82.8% 67.1% 62.5% 60.9% 59.3% 46.8%
Recent College Graduates
7
College Seniors
2
College Juniors
0
College Sophomores
4
College Freshman
3
High School Seniors
25
High School Juniors
21
High School Sophomores
23
High School Freshmen
16
Middle School
104 Students
3
Schools Represented Academy of Arts Careers and Technology ACE High School Bishop Manogue Catholic High School Carson High School Coral Academy Damonte Ranch High School Davidson Academy Douglas High School Folsom Lake College Forest Charter School Galena High School Honors Academy of Literature
Lincoln High School McQueen High School North Tahoe High School Reed High School Sierra College Spanish Springs High School Tahoe Expedition Academy Truckee High School Truckee Meadows Community College Truckee Meadows CC High School University of Nevada, Las Vegas University of Nevada, Reno Wooster High School
Our appreciation to our hosts: Reno-Tahoe International Airport Nevada Wing of the Civil Air Patrol Atlantic Aviation Advanced Aviation
A very special thanks to our speakers: Hasaan Azam Larry Crapo Danny Heinsohn Marily Mora Joe Rajacic Steve Rikalo
Dan Bartholomew Stacy Haruguchi John Johnson Karalynn Mumm Jason Riederer Dean Schultz
Our appreciation to our host and sponsor: Truckee Tahoe Airport District
Special recognition of our caterer: Red Truck CafĂŠ
A very special thanks to our speakers: Glen Aballo Mark Covey Jessica Fay Billikee Howard Greg Meisinger Kevin Smith David Van Quest
Our appreciation to our host: Carson Airport Authority
Special recognition of our sponsor: Click Bond, Inc.
A very special thanks to our speakers: Rick Angell Scott Dlugos Ken Moen Gary Province
Maria Bravo Kurt Haukohl Leah Ochs Michael Reynolds
Student Feedback... I really enjoyed how we were able to meet people that we otherwise would not have known how to contact. It was very helpful and offered many opportunities to us that we didn’t even know existed. I really just appreciated that there are people willing to support and educate high school students going into a professional field. I really appreciate the fact that students have such a wonderful resource! It taught me many skills such as formatting a resume, elevator pitch, and how to succeed in an interview.
By the Numbers…
4 internships offered. 75% of students plan to pursue careers in aviation. 100% of students feel more confident to pursue jobs in any industry.
100% of professionals noted that students were prepared for the networking event.
The names of 211 participants were submitted by students and leaders to formally pursue professional relationships.
What the professionals had to say... Thank you for the opportunity to participate. I have a huge respect for what you're doing and this program.
The event was very inspiring and well planned out. I think the future in aviation is great with the students who are part of your program.
I am extremely impressed with how prepared a lot of those kids were. This is definitely making a difference in many ways. Great work.
Central to the success of the Futures in Aerospace program is understanding the needs of everyone involved. Recruiting ideal speakers requires understanding each student’s career interests, career planning gaps, year in school, and campus resources. At the same time, it’s vital to recognize the region’s aerospace climate, availability of industry resources, hiring needs and interests of nearby aerospace companies, and the region’s economic and workforce outlooks. Pathways to Aviation is on a mission to prevent aerospace workforce shortages from adversely affecting local communities, states, our Nation, and the world.
All high school and college students are invited to participate in the Futures in Aerospace program. Thanks to the financial support of the following visionary supporters, there’s no cost to students.
The Futures in Aerospace program connects students to the aerospace industry and its executive leaders, its employment opportunities, and collegiate aeronautical programs. Students obtain an understanding of their hard and soft skills, articulate those skills on their resumes, share the skills and passions through face-to-face interactions, and develop strong relationships with aviation leaders.
The fourth year of the Futures in Aerospace program will build upon the success it’s generated since its inception in 2017. The 2020 version of the program will feature three prominent strategies to inform, inspire, and engage both students and the many aerospace companies and executives encountered along the path.
The following goals are in place:
The following goals are set for this initiative’s first year:
Five host airports (increase from three)
Online-based program available for any high school and college student.
150 students (increase from 104)
45 industry mentors (increase from 28)
Expansion of the Career Planning Workbook to feature: Aerospace salary tables, Available local and national scholarships, List of all colleges offering aeronautical programs, Career planning best practices, including: Job Searching, Hard and Soft Skills, Resume Writing, Cover Letters, Body Language, First Impressions, Online Presence, Personal Branding, LinkedIn and Professional Networks, Elevator Pitches, Conversation Techniques, Networking, Interviewing, Salary Negotiation, and Money Management.
Sequential career planning program, navigating students through the entire spectrum of best practices, completing requirements through a step-by-step process.
Students watch career planning videos, produced by the ISTAT Foundation, as well as those created by Pathways to Aviation, career mentors, and participating aerospace corporations.
Students participate in live job searching discussions, resume reviews, elevator pitches, mock interviews, and areas requiring additional guidance.
Mock and Practice interviews with industry mentors.
Resume and cover letter reviews.
Online presence to promote corporations, featuring basic descriptions, participating mentors, current positions on-site, open jobs, future opportunities, and videos describing their business and career advice.
In response to the growing number of students who are committing to aerospace careers and returning to workshops each year, a special program will be implement to advance their leadership skills, connections to industry leaders, and continued advancement of the Futures in Aerospace program. Students who complete one round of the “local” or “national/global” career mentoring pathways will be invited to join this group, enabling them to:
Interview local, national, and international corporate leaders.
Help design and facilitate local and online workshops.
Evaluate the performance and progress of workshops.
Submit blogs relating to career planning and their career development.
Create dedicated job-seeking webpages for viewing by recruiters.
Provide mentoring guidance to fellow students.
The Futures in Aerospace program has captured the attention and collaborative engagement of numerous organizations, including:
The success of the program relies entirely on three very important elements.
The core of our mission and program, we encourage all high school and college students to participate. Whether there’s a strong interest in aviation or none at all, all students are invited to participate in the workshops and networking receptions.
Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Truckee Tahoe Airport District Carson Airport Authority National Business Aviation Association Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development Nevada Governor’s Workforce Investment Board (Aerospace & Defense Sector Council) Nevada Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada Nevada Institute of Autonomous Systems State of Nevada Department of Education Washoe County School District Truckee Tahoe Unified School District Nevada Association for Career and Technical Education Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University University of Nevada Truckee Meadows Community College Sierra College
Visit www.PathwaysToAviation.org to take flight on an incredible mission.
Students
Mentors The impact mentors place on students cannot be accurately measured, as even the slightest of moments or smallest of comments can spark the launch of an incredible career. We seek aerospace executives, experts, and even entry-level personnel. Each person has a story, a passion for success, and advice to share. We do not financially compensate our mentors, but we can guarantee that each mentor makes a big difference.
Investors We do our best to operate on a tight budget, allocating nearly every penny to inform, inspire, and engage young people. The program is attracting inquiries from an increasing number of corporate executives and airport officials. To meet the growing demand, it’s vital that we generate additional funding. We seek foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual contributions.
Join the Pathways to Aviation family on an exciting and rewarding journey.
PO Box 21433 - Reno, NV 89515 info@PathwaysToAviation.org - www.PathwaysToAviation.org