The Orlando Sanford International Airport is opening its doors to inspire the next generation of ambitious aviation professionals.
This will mark the sixth Aerospace and Aviation Day, an event filled with learning and fun for Seminole County students interested in science, engineering and aviation. This unique opportunity offers hands-on experiences, guest speakers, interactive activities, and vendor exhibits aimed at sparking curiosity about the industry. Students will connect with military, corporate, and private aviation professionals to gain more understanding about the diverse career paths available in the field.
“In general, other than flying on a commercial plane, the public can’t access many areas of an airport.” said George Speake, Executive Vice President of the Sanford Airport Authority. “This event pulls back the covers, and lets the youth of Seminole County see the airport in a very different and inviting way.”
Working professionals from the airport will also interact with students one-on-one, providing meaningful insights into their roles and advice. Among the guest speakers is Eric Burris, a meteorologist from WESH 2 News, who has covered significant weather events, including hurricanes Charley, Frances, Jeanne, and Wilma.
“There is no lack of questions from the youth and year after year, we hear that the people manning booths never sit down for the five hours that the gates are open. In my opinion, young people growing up in today’s world get told over and over, ‘you can’t do this, or you can’t do that,’”said Speake. “This event is designed to tell them that they can do anything they want with their future and that almost every job they can imagine touches aviation in some way.”
The airport also provides two scholarships every year to two graduating Seminole county students who will be attending a university or vocational school with a focus in aviation. A past recipient gained their interest during an Aerospace and Aviation Day.
This year’s event will take place on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Orlando Sanford International Airport. “The hope is that students will understand that aviation is full of possibilities for their future,” Speake said. “Even if a student doesn’t have a desire to pursue a career in aviation, Aerospace and Aviation Day will teach them new things about aviation and space.”
