The official launch of the Aviation and Space Pathways Program at Ontario International Airport took place on Saturday, September 11, at the administrative offices of the Ontario International Airport. The 10-week program will prepare high school students from Chaffey Joint Union High School District and Fontana Unified School District for careers in cyber security, aviation, space exploration and robotics.
The attack on 9/11 happened before high school participants in the Aviation and Space Pathways Program were born. During the half-day launch, Security experts from the FBI, TSA, Ontario International airport and others reviewed how high school students can prepare now for rewarding and lucrative careers that can thwart future attacks like 9/11.
The program launch included demonstrations from Fontana Police Department’s K-9 units, space robotics as well as a behind-the-scenes tour of Ontario International Airport. Over the course of the day, guest speakers included Ontario Airport Chief Operating Officer Bruce Atlas, Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren and Fontana Unified School District Superintendent Randal Bassett and FBI Agent Jun Lau. Robert Sausedo, president of the nonprofit organization Community Build, Inc. located in South Los Angeles. Mr. Sausedo is working with officials in the Los Angeles Unified School District to bring the Aviation and Space Pathways Program to Los Angeles.
“The field of cyber security, is the hottest career path on the planet. During this 10-week course, we want to impart to these young people a way they can serve - and possibly save - their country because cyber attacks are how wars will be fought in the 21st century,” said Robert Barboza, CEO and founder of the Barboza Space Center. Barboza and Captain Willie L. Daniels, II, founder of Shades of Blue Aviation collaborated to develop the Aviation and Space Pathways Program. The program was made possible by a grant from the Chaffey Joint Union High School District and Fontana Unified School District with additional support from the Ontario International Airport.
According a recent Department of Homeland Security report, cybercrime is today’s 9/11 – “unknown, silent and deadly.” There are currently over 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs. Cybercrime is estimated to cost the U.S. six trillion dollars annually.
Captain Daniels cited statistics about the career prospects for aviation. “Over the next 17 years, worldwide shortages include 804,000 airline pilots, 914,000 flight attendants, 769,000 aircraft mechanics and over two million engineers,” said Daniels. “These are career paths that can earn you six figures for forty years. There aren’t a lot of jobs out there that pay six figures for one year, let alone forty.”
