OC-ALC Presents Aerospace Careers to Edmond High School Students

Photo By Carter Denton | EDMOND, Okla. — Representatives from Edmond Public Schools, the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex community engagement and outreach, the Air Force Sustainment Center’s STEM outreach program and the 349th Recruiting Squadron, all from Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, participate in an aerospace career presentation at Edmond Memorial High School Feb. 8, 2024, in Edmond, Oklahoma. The OC-ALC community outreach and engagement team visited all three Edmond public high schools during the month of February and discussed aerospace industry career opportunities with nearly 2,000 Oklahoma students in preparation for the Edmond Public School’s launch of aerospace programs in their high schools next year. (U.S. Air Force photo by Carter Denton)  

EDMOND, OK, UNITED STATES

03.18.2024

Story by Carter Denton 

72nd Air Base Wing

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. — The Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex community outreach and engagement team recently visited all three public high schools in Edmond, Oklahoma, to deliver presentations on career opportunities in the aerospace industry.
The outreach team addressed nearly 2,000 students regarding career paths in preparation for the Edmond Public School’s launch of aerospace programs in their high schools next year.
The presentations included information from the OC-ALC’s Talent Acquisition and Placement office, the Air Force Sustainment Center’s STEM Outreach Program and a panel of experts to answer student questions on Air Force recruiting and internship programs.
According to the State of Oklahoma’s website, with more than 206,000 jobs and a total of $44 billion in annual statewide economic activity, the aerospace and defense industry is the second largest and fastest growing industry in Oklahoma.
Keely Gilpin, Edmond Public School’s College and Career specialist, said the panel presentations served to inform and inspire Edmond’s students to pursue a career in this promising field.
“The students gained valuable insights into various aspects of the aerospace industry including technical innovations, career pathways and the importance of STEM education,” Gilpin said. “This collaboration aims to increase motivation, expand career horizons and deepen the understanding of how their academic studies relate to real-world applications.”
As the state’s largest single-site employer, the OC-ALC represents a myriad of opportunities for students to pursue an aerospace-related career, according to Abbey Charlow with the OC-ALC’s community outreach and engagement team.
“The OC-ALC has many unique career opportunities and benefits to offer,” Charlow said. “It’s imperative for high school students to have access to this important information at the time they are making life-changing career and postsecondary education decisions. In each presentation, current [OC-ALC] employees had the opportunity to share their story and instruct students on following in their footsteps.”
The presentations drew notable guest speakers such as Col. Jeffrey Anderson, OC-ALC deputy commander, and Edmond’s Mayor Darrell Davis, who retired from Tinker Air Force Base as a civil servant. Both Anderson and Davis used the opportunity to share their career paths with the students and encouraged them to follow in their footsteps.
Some positive feedback Gilpin has received following the presentations is a broader knowledge of potential career paths, a newfound interest in aviation, and increased awareness of opportunities available to local students.
“Staff members have stated that the presentations increased their curiosity and broadened their perspectives on pathways in aviation and opportunities at Tinker,” Gilpin said.
To learn more about career opportunities at Tinker AFB and the OC-ALC, visit https://www.tinker.af.mil/Jobs/, or contact the OC-ALC Talent Acquisition and Placement team at [e-mail] for information on community outreach opportunities.

• Date Taken: 03.18.2024
• Date Posted: 04.03.2024 13:55
• Story ID: 467688
• Location: EDMOND, OK, US