August 24, 2022, San Bernardino, California – Funded through a California Adult Education Program (CAEP) grant, the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Regional Occupational Program (SBCROP) recently implemented its first drone-focused Jumpstart program with the UAS Center at SBD.
Jumpstart programs are facilitated by and local industry experts, focused on providing high school graduates with industry-specific skills, certifications, and networking opportunities with employers to “jumpstart” their careers.
Twenty applicants who recently graduated from thirteen San Bernardino County high schools were selected to participate in the Alliance for Education’s first-ever Drone Training and Certification program. Prior to completion of the program in August, students took part in comprehensive drone flight training, with many of them successfully passing the FAA Part 107 exam to become certified drone pilots. Students also participated in business development exercises to gain a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges presented by introducing drone services into the market. They were able to develop their network of contacts, hearing presentations from a variety of professionals whose entities use drones daily in the course of their work, including the San Bernardino International Airport, Inland Valley Development Agency, ESRI and San Bernardino County Department of Public Works. Students completed the program by having professional headshots taken to update their professional profiles and received assistance with updating their resumes.
“It has been our pleasure to cooperate with the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools’ Alliance for Education this summer to enable students to become certified drone pilots and to advance their flight skills,” states Kimberly Benson, Administrator of the UAS Center at SBD. “We look forward to continuing to introduce future generations to the many opportunities that are available through drone technology.”
About the UAS Center at SBD: The UAS Center at SBD serves as a testing and demonstration site for drone technology companies as well as government and academic researchers. The Center provides drone pilot training for public and private sector entities as well as consulting on standardization and integration of drone technology into their operations. The Center also cooperates with public and private sector entities on workforce development. www.uascentersbd.com
For media inquiries please contact:
Amber Casarez
Marketing Manager
San Bernardino International Airport
UAS Center at SBD
(909) 382-4100 ext 132
acasarez@nullsbdairport.com