More than 60 students and teachers from the Mark Richardson Career Technical Center participated in an Aviation Career Day on Friday March 27th. The event was organized by EconAlliance in partnership with ArtCraft Paint, Inc. and the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD). The event provided hands-on exposure to aviation careers, highlighting local technical education partnerships.

Partnership Attendees from Artcraft Paint Inc. were:

– Teresa Arredondo, CEO
– Alex Arredondo, President
– Juan Valdovinos, Interior Department Manager
– Daniel Garcia, Prepers Manager
– Danny Perez, Graphics and Social Media Manager
– Chris Hurtado, Certified Mechanic

Chase Pietenpol and Jeffrey Strebler attended from Overwatch Aero; and from Central Coast Jet Center, Chris Kunkle, CEO was on hand.

From the San Luis Obispo chapter of The 99s (International Organization of Women Pilots), two pilots shared insights: Jamaica Hines: Pilot, flight instructor, and founder of Pacific Sky Aviation in San Luis Obispo, CA; and Sarah Oberman (Oberman Bartush), founder of TruNorth Jets.

From California Aeronautical University, Sebastian Bernal, Student / Commercial Pilot (CAU Flight Team member) and Jared Libao, Student / Commercial Pilot (CAU Flight Team member) contributed.

And from EconAlliance, John Fowler, CEO and Vicky Conner, Initiatives Dir, accompanied a group of students. See next story.

Capping a months-long effort to support job preparation for a cohort of Fighting Back SMV young people, EconAlliance coordinated three worksite tours this March for the group. These students experienced the Aviation Day and Artcraft Paint tour; a manufacturing business tour of an electronic hula hoop shop (Argent Data Systems); and visited Mob Armor, a mobile phone accessory manufacturer.