DeKalb aviation camp gives students hands-on path to aerospace careers

DeKalb County School District, Captain Barrington Irving’s BITTS, and the Atlanta Aero Club are launching the district’s first Aviation Skilled Trades Summer Camp in Atlanta. The program starts June 23 at Ronald E. McNair Middle School and includes training, airport access, and career exposure aimed at building the next generation of aviation workers. Why it matters: - DeKalb County schools are using aviation training to connect students with high-skill, high-wage jobs in a field facing steady workforce demand. - The partnership gives students early exposure to aircraft maintenance, aviation technology, and aerospace engineering careers. - The program aims to turn interest in aviation into practical skills and clearer postsecondary pathways. What happened: - DeKalb County School District, Captain Barrington Irving, and the Atlanta Aero Club teamed up for the district’s first Aviation Skilled Trades Summer Camp. - The camp is hosted at Ronald E. McNair Middle School in Atlanta. - The first event in the partnership is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23, 2026. - Students are training through the Barrington Irving Technical Training School, or BITTS. - The program includes an immersive experience at Peachtree-DeKalb Airport, or PDK. The details: - The camp combines classroom instruction, hands-on technical training, industry engagement, and career exploration. - Students are learning foundational skills tied to aircraft maintenance, aviation technician pathways, aerospace engineering, and emerging aviation technologies. - The PDK experience will connect students directly with aviation professionals. - Atlanta Aero Club President Lisa Senters-McDermott is helping host the airport component of the program. - DeKalb County School District said the camp is part of its career, technical, and agricultural education, or CTAE, effort. - DCSD serves more than 90,000 students and is Georgia’s third-largest school system. - DCSD’s CTAE programs offer career pathways, industry certifications, work-based learning, and hands-on experiences. - Captain Barrington Irving is an internationally recognized aviator, educator, and entrepreneur. - Irving’s Flying Classroom and BITTS focus on technical skills, industry knowledge, and workforce readiness in aviation and aerospace. - Lisa Senters-McDermott became the first female president of the Atlanta Aero Club in 2025. - Senters-McDermott also serves as CEO of Jet Senters Aviation and has more than 27 years of aviation leadership experience. - The Atlanta Aero Club was founded in 1982 and is a chapter of the National Aeronautic Association. - The club promotes aviation education, networking, workforce development, and community engagement across Georgia and the Southeast. Between the lines: - The partnership pairs school-based career education with direct industry exposure, which can make technical careers feel more tangible for students. - Bringing students to an airport setting adds a real-world layer that classroom programs alone often cannot provide. - The initiative also positions aviation as a career track for younger students before high school choices narrow. What’s next: - Students will continue the summer camp program through BITTS training and the airport experience at PDK. - The June 23 event will serve as the first public step in the new partnership. - The district, BITTS, and the Atlanta Aero Club could use the pilot program to shape future workforce-development efforts in aviation.