FULLERTON, California — Fullerton College has launched its Hornet Drone Piloting Apprenticeship Program.
College officials say it is the first registered apprenticeship program for drone pilots in the United States approved by the U.S. Department of Labor and the California Department of Apprenticeship Standards.
The Hornet Drone Lab will develop skilled pilots of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) ready to work in various industries, such as utilities, public safety, and ecology.
“This program provides a definable opportunity to help further develop the workforce of tomorrow,” said Jay Seidel, Fullerton College professor and director of the Fullerton Drone Lab. “According to a recent study published in Research and Markets, the demand for drone pilots is expected to grow by 51% over the next five years.”
Once accepted into the program, students complete 11 units at Fullerton College that earn them their FAA and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) certifications.
A partnership with Friends of Fullerton College Foundation (Friends) and Hope Builders Career Connections (HBCC), an Orange County-based social enterprise staffing agency, pairs students with jobs to complete the required 600 hours of paid on-the-job training.
The entire program, developed through the California Apprenticeship Initiative, can be completed within a year, college officials note.
“We have set the program up so a student with need can walk on campus and go from start to finish without having to pay a dime for the program,” said Zoot Velasco, executive director of the Friends of Fullerton College Foundation. “They just need to invest their sweat equity. We see this as a potential generational change for families.”
More information can be found at Drones.FullColl.edu.