Supporting Detroit’s Next Generation of Aviation Professionals
For the past 3 years, Masco’s Flight Operations team has supported the Golightly Career & Technical Center’s Flight Training and Aviation Technology course for students in the Detroit Public Schools Community District. The course focuses on careers piloting either drones or airplanes, giving first-year students hours of hands-on training to be able to earn a FAA Remote Pilot Certificate, which allows them to fly drones for profit. Select students can return for a second year focused on passing the FAA Private Pilot Written Exam, the first required step to becoming a professional pilot.
Through Masco’s donations, Golightly has been able to provide first-year graduates of the course who have successfully passed the written exam with their own personal drones. With this equipment in hand, 28 students so far have been able to put their new certification to work and can start earning money right away, in some cases even before they have completed high school. Masco has also welcomed students in the program to tour their hangar and planes and hear from its aviation professionals about the diversity of careers in the industry.