Kathryn B. Creedy: We're Promoting Aviation & Aerospace Careers All Wrong.

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Key topics covered include:

Early Exposure and Education

• Importance of Early Exposure: Kathryn emphasizes the significance of introducing aviation and aerospace careers to children at a young age, noting her own passion for aviation beginning at age 5. She suggests that the industry is currently missing opportunities by not targeting younger demographics and highlights the need for outreach to elementary and middle school students.
• Integrating Aviation Concepts into Curriculum: Kathryn mentions the existence of numerous programs and organizations, such as the Space Foundation and AOPA Foundation, that offer aviation-related educational content. She advocates for making school officials aware of these resources to foster an aviation/aerospace education ecosystem.

Role of Parents, Guardians, and Educators

• Addressing Lack of Awareness: She suggests collaborating with career counselor software companies to include more aviation careers in their databases, thereby improving awareness among school counselors.
• Industry and Educational Collaboration: Kathryn stresses the importance of industry involvement with educational institutions to promote aviation careers, highlighting the potential for software companies to play a key role in this effort.

Diversity and Inclusion

• Creating an Inclusive Environment: Kathryn discusses the need to tackle cultural issues within the aviation industry, including discrimination, harassment, and the underrepresentation of women and minorities. She calls for a collective effort to support and protect individuals facing such challenges.
• Combatting Gender Bias and Discrimination: She emphasizes changing the industry's culture to prevent retaliation against those who report misconduct and to ensure a safe and respectful workplace for everyone.

Mentoring and Support

• Designing Effective Mentoring Programs: Kathryn highlights the importance of mentorship in supporting women and girls interested in aviation/aerospace careers. She advocates for building connections between established professionals and newcomers to the field.
• Promoting Work-Life Balance: Kathryn addresses the need for policies that support work-life balance, noting that flight attendants have pioneered some of the policies women pilots seek. She also discusses the importance of treating employees fairly to ensure loyalty and advocacy.

Work Rules and Work/Life Balance

• Effect of Antiquated Work Rules: Kathryn comments on the slow progress in adapting work rules to better accommodate the needs of women pilots and their families, pointing out that the industry has historically viewed work-life balance as a secondary concern.
• Specific Changes for Attraction and Retention: She advocates for schedule flexibility and accommodations for family responsibilities, which would benefit not just women but all pilots seeking a better balance between their personal and professional lives.

Seniority and Career Advancement

• Seniority System as a Barrier: Kathryn acknowledges the challenges posed by the seniority system, especially for those seeking schedule stability, which can impact career earnings and advancement opportunities.
• Recommendations for Policy Changes: While recognizing the difficulty of changing the seniority system, Kathryn suggests aiming for policies that ensure equal earning power and opportunity for all pilots, regardless of their personal circumstances.

Key Moments

• Introduction of Kathryn B. Creedy: 00:00:24 - Kathryn's background and expertise in aviation journalism and workforce development are introduced.
• Early Exposure to Aviation Careers: 00:02:16 - Kathryn discusses the importance of early exposure to aviation/aerospace careers for young students, especially girls.
• Outreach and Education Initiatives: 00:04:09 - Insight into existing programs and the need for an aviation education ecosystem to engage young minds in aviation.
• Girls in Aviation Day and Local Efforts: 00:05:37 - Kathryn highlights the impact of Girls in Aviation Day and the significance of local community engagement.
• Innovative Outreach Strategies: 00:06:39 - The potential for collaboration with career counseling software providers to enhance aviation career visibility among young students.
• Diversity and Inclusion in Aviation: 00:07:50 - Kathryn addresses the need for cultural change within the industry to create a more inclusive environment.
• Mentorship Importance: 00:14:13 - Discussion on the critical role of mentorship in supporting young women and girls interested in aviation careers.
• Work-Life Balance: 00:15:37 - Kathryn talks about the industry's need to support better work-life balance, especially for women.
• Seniority and Career Advancement: 00:20:32 - Kathryn's views on how the seniority system acts as a barrier to gender equality and economic equity for women pilots.
• Closing Message to Young Aspirants: 00:23:41 - Kathryn shares a parting message for young girls and women considering a career in aviation or aerospace.

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