JOHNSTOWN, Pennsylvania — Aerium, a non-profit organization focusing on aviation education, workforce development, and creating career opportunities for students in Pennsylvania, is now collaborating with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association to introduce the AOPA high school STEM curriculum into school districts, Career and Technical Centers (CTCs), secondary, and post-secondary institutions across the state of Pennsylvania.
According to Glenn Ponas, Director of High School Outreach for the AOPA Foundation, in the upcoming school year Pennsylvania will lead the nation “for the first time” in new curriculum applications, “and it looks as though that trend will continue.”
In addition to implementing the AOPA curricula, Aerium is also working on developing funding mechanisms, personnel, and resources to offer training free of charge to students and schools, according to officials.
The organization is also in the process of becoming an Educational Improvement Organization under Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. This move aims to supplement aviation education by providing additional resources and opportunities for students, officials explained.
“The collaboration between Aerium and the AOPA Foundation is a game-changer for Pennsylvania’s aviation landscape,” said Dr. John G. Duesler, Jr., president of the PA Drone Association. “It not only equips students with essential skills, but also positions the state as a hub for innovation in the drone industry.”
For more information: Aerium.org, AOPA.org