High school students from St. Croix and St. Thomas participated in a “job shadow” experience on Thursday, May 26, at the Cyril E. King Airport. Debra Ceronsky, a Delta Airlines’ station manager, initiated the program by reaching out to Junior Achievement VI. Rather than limit the program to just the airline, the team agreed to bring on the V.I. Port Authority (VIPA) as a partner and expose the students to the entire aviation sector.
The day began early as students flew over from St. Croix’s Vocational and Technical School, and students from Charlotte Amalie H.S. joined them at the airport, bringing the total to 25. The tour covered most of the sectors and operations associated with an airport. They were introduced to customs officers, TSA agents and administrative personnel while they moved through the facility. They also got a chance to speak to many professionals, who explained their duties and how they arrived in their specific positions. Students asked questions about educational requirements and salaries for the various occupations.
They proceeded on to the tarmac of the airport, where they observed a plane landing and being prepared for departure. The St. Croix Aviation Club took part in the day, and they were very excited about sitting in the cockpit of the Delta jet and speaking to the pilot about his occupation. They also toured the exterior of the plane and received instruction on the mechanics of the engine, landing gear and the communications system.
The VIPA provided lunch and invited some employees to speak about their jobs at the airport. The students were enthralled by the marine pilot who introduced them to yet another facet of the port and marine facilities. Other participating occupations included the fire chief, airport manager, a police officer and a civil engineer who had recently graduated from college.
The tour then moved to the FAA Tower, where students received a presentation from Mr. Boatwright, who oversees operations there. They were able to see the air traffic controllers land planes and communicate with pilots. They day closed with a tour of the Airport Fire Department, where the students were able to get a ride on the fire trucks and witness the power of the hoses.
Albert Bryan Jr., executive director of Junior Achievement, said,” It was a fantastic day and I think students really were shocked at the myriad of occupations involved with keeping an airport operating. It is our goal to do these kinds of ‘job shadow’ days with other industries to help our V.I. students make decisions about their careers and prepare themselves educationally to be successful in them. Heartfelt appreciation to Debra Ceronsky of Delta Airlines, her team and the V.I. Port Authority, who made this possible.”
Junior Achievement of the Virgin Islands is part of the world’s largest organization dedicated to empowering students to own their economic success by giving them the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary to dream big and reach their full potential. Through a dedicated volunteer network, Junior Achievement provides in-school and after-school programs for students that focus on three key content areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Locally, over 1,500 volunteers reach 18,000 students with quality education programs. In addition, 118 individual area operations reach more than four million students in the United States. For more information, visit http://jausvi.org
