Pajaro Valley Unified School District said it is launching a new training program that will allow students to build their own working airplanes from scratch.
The program is part of a Career Technical Education (CTE) Engineering Technology pathway, focused on the aviation industry. CTE pathways are widely available to middle school and high school students and prepare them for careers in designing, producing, or maintaining mechanical, electrical, electronics and computer-related systems with emphasis on hands-on learning.
Students will receive foundational academics in aircraft maintenance, aviation safety, aeronautical engineering and flight systems, along with hands-on training. Under the guidance of aviation industry professionals, the students will get to assemble a fully operational Van’s RV-12 airplanes — a two-seat, single-engine, low-wing homebuilt airplane — from start to finish. The airplane will be fully functional and will ultimately be flown.
The program joins public and private sector leaders to provide students with access to real-world aviation and aerospace experiences, aiming to help build a local talent pipeline in a rapidly growing sector in the Monterey Bay region and beyond, the district said.
The training program is possible through a partnership among PVUSD, Monterey Bay DART, the City of Watsonville, Watsonville Municipal Airport, EAA Chapter 119, Tango Flight and Joby Aviation.
“Our students will graduate not only with job-ready skills but also with the confidence that they can design, build and operate advanced technology,” Heather Contreras, PVUSD superintendent of schools, said in a news release. “We are grateful to our incredible partners for opening doors to careers that once seemed out of reach for so many young people in our community.”
The program will launch in the fall, with recruitment and training for students and staff beginning this summer. To learn more about this new pathway, please contact Julie Edwards, director of strategic educational options.
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