Jun. 27—Thirteen students from Jordan and Cabrillo high schools recently took a journey through aviation industry with the Long Beach Airport — thanks to a new five-day externship program.
The airport's Careers Taking Flight Externship Program launched last week, the city announced on Monday, June 26. That initiative, the city's announcement said, is part of LGB's larger Long Beach Airport Careers Taking Flight program, which is intended to offer students from grade school to college an inside look at potential aviation futures.
The 13 students were selected from a pool of more than 60 participants in partnership with the Long Beach Unified School District, the announcement said.
During thefive5-day program, students learned about several different career paths in aviation — ranging from jobs at airports and airlines to opportunities within the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA and TSA were among multiple agencies and organizations that provided tours or guest speakers for the students, the city said. Aeroplex Group Partners, Atlantic Aviation, FlightSafety International, SoCal Jet Services, Southwest Airlines and Swinerton Builders also participated.
Students learned about the credentials they'd need to become competitive applicants for various aviation positions, as well as the different job duties and pay scales.
The airport provided $500 to externship participants who successfully completed the program, the announcement said, alongside a free exploration flight through the Experimental Aircraft Association's Young Eagles program.
That program has provided general aviation flights to more than 2 million young folks since its 1992 inception.
"This program will lead to bright opportunities and rewarding careers for these students," LGB Director Cynthia Guidry said in the release, "and we thank our partners for their participation and engagement in helping us inspire tomorrow's aviation professionals."
LGB is also planning to launch a paid summer internship for high school students next summer, the announcement said.
___
(c)2023 Grunion Gazette, Long Beach, Calif.
Visit Grunion Gazette, Long Beach, Calif. at https://www.presstelegram.com/the-grunion/
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
