The National Business Aviation Association will debut its Young Professionals In Business Aviation initiative at NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA2014) in Orlando, Florida, Oct. 21.
The initiative will be introduced at SOAR, which is more than a reception with food, beverages and music, said Brian Koester, NBAA’s project manager of operations. Association President and CEO Ed Bolen will be on hand to welcome young professionals to the reception, and other key personnel from the industry will be present, including NBAA staff and several of Aviation Week’s Top 40 Under 40.
“SOAR is dedicated to building relationships and a sense of community between emerging leaders across the industry,” said Koester. “It will promote networking and share best practices through similar events at key business aviation gatherings.”
Like the rest of the aviation industry, business aviation is undergoing a change of personnel as Baby Boomers retire, noted Sierra Grimes, of NBAA’s membership and marketing services group.
“NBAA offers its members programs dedicated to the professional development of its management and technical people, and this initiative expands that effort to those who are launching their business aviation careers,” Grimes said, “As a portal to business aviation’s many opportunities, it will help newcomers define and refine their career path.”
The next generation of business aviation professionals will have the opportunity to strengthen their contributions to the industry through participation in NBAA’s Standards of Excellence in Business Aviation (SEBA) and Professional Development Programs (PDP), said Koester.
Focused on the technical side of business aviation, SEBA lays out career progression and the steps involved for six business aviation disciplines, from fixed-wing and helicopter flight crews to maintenance and flight technicians to schedulers/dispatchers and ground support personnel.
The PDP focuses on the development of aspiring managers of any business aviation discipline at the companies that employ them. As these young professionals advance in their respective careers, they will, in turn, do the same for those who follow in their footsteps.
For more information: NBAA.org
Here we go again – “focused on the TECHICAL side” – even NBAA doesn’t get it?
Great for operating a flight department, BUT, first you NEED to “sell” a bird to them, don’t you?
Wouldn’t they best be offering sales/marketing courses FIRST and then the technical aspects later – perhaps I’m from a different planet?
I guess multi-million dollar birds sell themselves!