Youth aviation education

Aviation has more than one way in.

Explore programs, training, and careers—and find people who can help you take a next step.

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Aviation resources

Choose your next step

What would you like to do?

Filter by goal, browse job families, or search by name.

Have a career in mind? Browse by job family

Job-family filters replace the goal selection; they do not add another restriction.

Showing all 21 resources.

Directory link review: . Quick facts are shown where confirmed; they are not a complete eligibility checklist. Confirm current ages, costs, locations, and application dates with each provider. Some providers restrict automated access.

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Youth programs & first experiences

Low-pressure ways to explore aviation, meet mentors, and try something hands-on before choosing a long-term path.

Introductory flight EAA Young Eagles Free introductory flights for youth ages 8–17, followed by a Flight Plan with learning resources and next steps. For: Ages 8–17Cost: Free introductory flight Explore Young Eagles Ohio • Ages 12–18 Civil Air Patrol Ohio Wing A year-round cadet program combining aerospace education, leadership, fitness, teamwork, and orientation-flight opportunities. Join ages: 12–18Connection: Ohio Wing Find Ohio Wing information Hands-on STEM OBAP ACE Academy Multi-day academies that introduce middle and high school students to aviation careers, aerospace, and STEM. Focus: Aviation & STEM experiences Confirm current age, location, and fees with OBAP. Find an ACE Academy Community & role models Women in Aviation International Find Girls in Aviation Day news, youth-education information, and chapter connections on WAI’s official website. Focus: Youth education & role models Check WAI for current program details; some pages restrict access. Visit Women in Aviation Northeast Ohio Wings Up NE Ohio An Ohio aviation nonprofit supporting scholarships and events that help students follow their aviation goals. Area: Northeast OhioFocus: Scholarships & events Visit Wings Up NE Ohio

Start local

Northeast Ohio is a useful place to begin.

Find nearby career information, airport opportunities, and workforce support before you branch out to national programs.

See local connections

Build your direction

Learning, training & funding

Use these official resources to learn the basics, compare training paths, discover STEM programs, and look for help with costs.

Free learning EAA AeroEducate Activities and aviation education resources for schools, youth groups, families, and curious learners. Format: Online learningCost: Free AeroEducate resources Explore EAA youth resources Career education FAA Aviation Education Explore aviation workforce programs, ACE Academies, STEM activities, and pathways into safety-critical careers. Focus: STEM & workforce education Visit FAA education Training support AOPA Foundation Scholarships Scholarship opportunities for flight training, advanced ratings, maintenance, and other aviation career paths. Focus: Training scholarships Eligibility, award amounts, and deadlines vary by scholarship. Review scholarship options STEM & aerospace NASA Next Gen STEM Career and technical education resources that connect students with aerospace skills and real-world work. Focus: Aerospace STEM & career learning Explore NASA STEM Mentorship Aviation Youth Mentoring Program Mentorship and hands-on STEM experiences designed to expose underserved youth to aviation careers. Focus: Youth mentorship & hands-on STEM Meet AYMP Regional scholarship National Aviation Heritage Alliance Regional aviation scholarship information for students in the National Aviation Heritage Area. Confirm the current application cycle and requirements before applying. Area: National Aviation Heritage AreaFocus: Scholarship information See scholarship details

Start local

Northeast Ohio connections & careers

Explore real job families, local career information, and nearby organizations that can help turn an interest into a plan.

Federal aviation careers FAA Careers Explore aviation safety, air traffic, engineering, operations, and student career opportunities. Scope: Federal careersLocation: Varies by listing See FAA career paths Cleveland • KCLE Cleveland Hopkins Careers Look for airport, airline, customer-service, security, operations, and support roles close to home. Area: Cleveland / KCLEFocus: Airport careers Explore airport careers Northeast Ohio career search Lake County Ohio Means Jobs Find youth career-planning, training, and job resources close to Northeast Ohio. Area: Lake County, OhioFocus: Youth career support Explore youth resources Cuyahoga County Workforce Development Find county workforce programs, employment support, and next steps for building a career in Northeast Ohio. Area: Cuyahoga County, OhioFocus: Workforce support Explore county resources Flight training guide AOPA Learn to Fly Understand discovery flights, training decisions, pilot certificates, and the questions to ask a flight school. Focus: Getting started with flight training Start learning to fly Flight & space learning Smithsonian Air and Space Learning Use lessons, activities, and stories to explore flight, space, aircraft design, and aerospace history. Focus: Flight, space & history learning Explore learning resources

Airline employers

See how airline teams work together.

Airlines hire more than pilots. Explore flight operations, maintenance, airport services, customer care, technology, and corporate roles.

Airline careers United Airlines Careers Explore pilot, airport operations, maintenance, customer service, technology, and corporate career paths. Scope: Airline job listingsLocation: Varies by listing Visit United careers Airline careers Frontier Airlines Careers Browse opportunities across pilots, flight attendants, airport operations, technical operations, and corporate teams. Scope: Airline job listingsLocation: Varies by listing Visit Frontier careers Airline careers Southwest Airlines Careers Learn about airline roles in the air, on the ramp, in customer service, in technology, and behind the scenes. Scope: Airline job listingsLocation: Varies by listing Visit Southwest careers

Aviation is bigger than the cockpit

There is a place for many kinds of curiosity.

Flying is one part of aviation. The industry also needs people who build, maintain, guide, design, protect, and explain the systems that keep people moving.

Flight & operations

Pilots, dispatchers, flight instructors, and crew plan and operate safe flights.

Maintenance & avionics

Technicians inspect aircraft, repair systems, and keep engines, electronics, and airframes airworthy.

Air traffic & safety

Controllers, safety specialists, and meteorologists help aircraft move safely through a complex system.

Engineering & aerospace

Engineers, designers, software teams, and researchers shape aircraft, drones, spacecraft, and new technologies.

Airports & airlines

Airport planners, customer teams, cargo specialists, and emergency crews make the travel system work.

Photography & media

Photographers, writers, educators, and communicators help people understand and care about aviation.

Make it practical

Not sure where to begin?

Choose the kind of experience you want first. You can change direction later; the goal is to take one clear, low-pressure step.

01

I want to explore aviation.

Start by attending a BSAviation meeting, visiting an airport observation area, or taking an introductory flight through a youth program. Bring questions instead of a résumé.

See how we meet
02

I want to learn to fly.

Compare local flight schools, ask about discovery flights, and look for scholarships before committing to training. A flight instructor can explain the medical, scheduling, and training steps.

Ask about next steps
03

I like the aircraft and systems.

Look at maintenance, avionics, engineering, air traffic, airport operations, and aerospace programs. Hands-on STEM programs are a useful way to test what interests you.

Browse programs
What does BSAviation help with?

We help young people ask better questions, meet people in aviation, and find programs, resources, and connections that fit their interests. We do not run every program listed here; we help you find the right people and opportunities for your next step.

Do I need to know my career goal before reaching out?

No. BSAviation is a place to ask questions, meet people, and learn what different aviation roles actually look like.

How can I find help with training costs?

Start with the scholarship and youth-program links above, then ask each organization about eligibility, deadlines, and whether opportunities are available locally.

Can photography lead to other aviation opportunities?

Yes. Photography builds observation, communication, and technical skills that can connect to media, airport communications, education, safety, and community outreach.

Built for the next generation

Bring your curiosity with you.

BSAviation is building a welcoming starting point for young people who want to understand aviation and see where they fit inside it.

We do not run every program listed here. We help you find the right people, organizations, and opportunities for where you want to go next.

Talk with us