LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Many shortages have caught up since the COVID pandemic, however, some specific industries have still been struggling.
Since fewer people have been going into the field these days, the world of aviation has been shrinking.
On Monday, local students got a hands-on experience in the cockpit while at the Clinton National Airport.
"Days like today are very important," said Shane Carter, Clinton National Airport Director of Public Affairs.
The Clinton National Airport hosted about 40 students from Cloverdale Middle School to give them an inside look at what it's like to work in aviation.
"Our hope is that today is a spark plug for these very gifted students. As they continue to think about their careers and move through their life, they'll come back and think about the airport and all the opportunities that lie here," Carter described.
He said it's important to give kids these experiences when they're young because they could help fill a lot of open positions in the future.
"We're all familiar with the need for pilots, and certainly, that gets a lot of coverage. But we certainly need engineers, we need people in all different types of trades, to support the airport, and not just this airport, but airports across the country," he added.
According to the National Business Aviation Association, it's challenging to keep staff because of increased competition from airlines and an overall decline in the number of people choosing careers in aviation.
Shortly before launching its new program, the University of Central Arkansas Aviation Academy said in a release:
"The nation faces a critical shortage of pilots and this innovative, multi-partner effort will be a model of streamlined workforce development addressing those shortages. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the aviation industry will see a projected average of 17,000 openings annually for airline and commercial pilots over the next decade.
The UCA Aviation Academy is a highly certified pilot training program where students will obtain the knowledge, skill, and aeronautical experience necessary to meet the requirements for pilot certification through our part 141 flight school. Training and certification in private pilot, instrument rating, and commercial pilot will be offered with all licenses and ratings having full certification and accreditation from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)."
"It takes so many people to make an airport run not only efficiently but also safely. There are more than 3,000 people that work here at the airport. So today is very important for them to get to see some of those folks and the important roles that they have," Carter explained.
8th grader Morgan Crawford said she already knows this is the career for her. She hopes to either enlist in the Air Force or become a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy.
"At Cloverdale Middle School, it is mandatory that all students take aerospace investigation class, every semester. So I took that my sixth-grade year, towards the end of the year, and I just really got interested," Crawford described.
"We look forward to seeing where these students will go," Carter said.
In addition to seeing planes, the students got to visit with aviation engineers, pilots, and others who help operate the airport.