Program Introduces At-risk Youth to Careers in Aviation

A new collaboration between the Cuban-American National Council (CNC) and Pan Am International Flight Academy in Miami is giving at-risk youth an opportunity to learn about airline training and careers in the aviation industry.

Students enrolled in the CNC Youth Program will job shadow and be mentored by designated staff at Pan Am’s aviation training academy. They will participate in a range of activities over individual assignments of 120 hours at a time, where they will be able to interact with flight instructors and current aviation students to get a firsthand look at flight training – including working around advanced flight simulators, classroom training, Air Traffic Control Simulation and Training and other career pathways within the aviation industry.

“Our objective is to provide the young people we service with experiences and encouragement that will allow them to successfully transition to the workforce, obtain their high school diploma or GED and continue their education and training,” said Sonia Lopez, President and CEO of CNC. “Our partnership with Pan Am is exposing our youth to a promising career in aviation and we hope that it will inspire them to pursue their wings.”

Mark Johnson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Pan AM International Flight Academy, says Pan Am “is dedicated to the development of the youth in our community. By providing students with these opportunities we are exposing them to a promising career that is experiencing tremendous growth and offer a wide range of opportunities. We have high hopes for our students and will continue to work alongside community partners like CNC for the betterment of our community at all of our company locations.”