Workforce development and transportation are two big items on Indiana’s agenda for progress, and the Indianapolis Aviation Career Education Academy is working in a unique way to push that agenda by helping students from all backgrounds aim for the sky.
The academy will begin taking applications on Dec. 1, 2017 for its 2018 hands-on aviation-career camp, where students from throughout Indiana can learn about all aspects of aviation, including history, aerodynamics, and a multitude of careers available in the industry. Camp participants also explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses.
“This is a unique opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience in an exciting industry,” said Ryan Lynch, director of the Indianapolis ACE Academy. “When a student expresses interest in aviation, it can be challenging for parents or teachers to figure out where to direct them to for more information– a challenge my family faced when I was younger. I created this camp to give kids an inside-look at the educational and career possibilities in the aviation field.”
Lynch, a commercial pilot with Republic Airways, is a Lawrence North High School graduate who founded the ACE academy in Indiana and worked with other industry advocates to develop a similar program in North Carolina and Florida.
Students ages 10 to 14 can register to apply for a week-long camp from June 10 – 16, 2018. Students 15-18 years old can apply to attend a two-week camp from July 8 – 21, 2018. Sessions run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Applicants must have an interest in the aviation field and a minimum of a 2.5 grade-point average.
Middle-school students attending the camp are introduced to the fundamentals of flight through class time and flight simulation time. Students also tour the air-traffic control tower in Indianapolis, the Indianapolis International Airport, Rolls Royce, Republic Airways, and FedEx during the week to learn about the different career opportunities in the aviation field.
High-school students also tour air traffic control and aviation-related facilities, along with a trip to the Wright Patterson Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. The camp is designed to incorporate career prep such as college visits, etiquette dinner, and resume writing. Students are paired with a mentor to assist with college and career matching, and the college application process.
The camp is hosted at the Vincennes Aviation Technology Center at the Indianapolis International Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration, the Indianapolis Airport Authority, FedEx, and Republic Airways are among the ACE Academy’s supporters.
Historically 700 students have attended the camp, and nearly half of those participants are in college with a focus on aviation.
