On Thursday, 20 students enrolled at the North Valley Occupational Center, a division of the L.A. Unified School District that provides adults affordable technical and career training, will gain hands-on work experience shadowing Van Nuys Airport (VNY) employees engaged in a variety of trade and professional occupations, ranging from aircraft mechanic to accountant.
The Job Shadow Day event at the Southern California airport on Thursday, April 14, is aimed at demonstrating the career opportunities available at airports besides the traditional roles of pilot and flight attendant, according to airport officials.
Despite the reported sharp decline in the number of operations at Van Nuys Airport over the past decade, the non-profit Van Nuys Airport Association, a tenant organization dedicated to preserving aviation jobs and businesses, is hosting the event to increase awareness of occupations not typically associated with airports such as office support, computer applications, graphic/web design, sales and catering, and hotel administration, association officials said.
This event comes at a time when the U.S. Department of Labor predicts a future shortage of trained aircraft mechanics, even with the nation’s high unemployment rate. Virtually 100% of students who complete the requirements for NVOC’s two-year airframe and power plant mechanics training program find jobs, according to school officials. However, proposed cuts to California’s adult education budget may curtail the school’s funding and students’ ability to train for high-skilled, high- paying positions, officials add.
For more information: www.thevnaa.org
