Carroll teens get drone flight lesson during career sampling session at community college

Nine Carroll County teens were given the chance to pilot a drone at Carroll Community College on Tuesday as part of the Summer Workforce Academy, which exposes students to careers in nursing, automotive repair, electrical wiring, business, pharmacology, and drone piloting.

In its third year, the program also provides lessons in resume building, personality tests, interpersonal workplace skills, and financial literacy.

Steven Berry, the college’s dean of workforce innovation and community advancement, said the summer program started three weeks ago and is composed of six half-days of experiential learning and instruction.

“They really get a variety of exposure to different programs,” Berry said, “and the idea here is that you’re not only [exposing] them to a career you might be interested in, but you’re also exploring a career where you’re like, ‘That’s not for me.'”

The students are members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Carroll County and are enrolled in the clubs’ yearlong Leadership Academy program. The program is funded by a $25,000 grant from The Kahlert Foundation , a nonprofit focused on enhancing local education and youth programs.

Andrea Lopez, 16, a Westminster High School student, said she has enjoyed being exposed to different possible careers through the program.

“It’s really good,” Lopez said, “It’s not what I expected. I kind of expected it to be boring and kind of like going to school, but it’s not. It’s a lot more interactive.”

Trisha Savalia, 15, of Sykesville, a Century High student, said she has enjoyed learning about non-traditional career paths through the program.

“It’s really interactive,” Savalia said, “and it really lets you experience other types of jobs.”

Pranav Jain, 13, of Sykesville, a rising Century High School freshman, said the program widened his horizons.

Jain said he appreciates the program’s hands-on nature, and was especially interested in drone piloting because he could see himself pursuing a career in an aerospace field.

“The drone instruction was definitely very cool,” Jain said. “It was definitely my favorite.”

Savalia said she is also interested in aerospace, and likes the idea of capturing high-quality pictures from high up and far away.

“I really like the drones,” Savalia said. “It’s really nice that it allows you to see what kind of careers you can blend drones into.”

Savalia appreciated learning about the diversity of professional options for drone pilots during the preflight lesson, as a career, skillset applicable to another career, or as a side-hustle, she said.

Lopez said a career in drone piloting may not be for her, but she was pleased to discover through the program that she has a greater aptitude for welding than she ever imagined.

“It was definitely hard, but I got the hang of it at the end,” Lopez said about the drone lesson.

Staff also assess the unique interests of students and invite them back to campus several times during the school year to engage with relevant programing, said Kathy Mayan, the college’s director of personal enrichment and community education.

“The whole idea was to bring as many of the teens over so they could explore a lot of different workforce programs, find out what they like, find out what they don’t like, get familiar with the campus, and just connect them,” Mayan said.

Students enrolled in the workforce academy are trending younger amid the inception of the Boys and Girls Clubs’ Kahlert Leadership Academy ‘s summer program, Mayan said. The new program is housed at the club’s second location in Hampstead and supported by a $750,000 five-year investment from the Kahlert Foundation.

Clyde Johnson, the college’s director of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, this year has helped students assess their aptitude for different career paths, and to craft a resume in preparation for a mock interview on Thursday with members of the college’s board of trustees and new President Rose Mince on Thursday. Although mock interviews have been a feature of the program in the past, this is the first year that the college’s trustees and president will be involved.

“They’ve been able to explore through technology their skills and assess their skills,” Johnson said. “We’ve done many types of assessments that way.”

It is vital that the students feel a sense of belonging, Johnson said. Many of them have never been to a college campus, and the program helps them to imagine themselves beginning a certificate or degree program at Carroll Community College.

Several alumni of the academy have gone on to attend Carroll Community College, and did seem more comfortable there after their summer experience, Mayan said.

“I think it’s been a good experience, because it’s taught me a lot about adult life and when I’ll grow up, especially about the job area, because that’s what it’s all about,” Jain said. “Like today we learned how to make a resume, which is really important for getting a job.”

“This is very eye-opening to different careers that I possibly might want to do, and to other options besides college,” Savalia said.

A drone is seen in flight as members of the Boys & Girls Club take part in drone program hosted at Carroll Community College on Tuesday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)