WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Students at Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach County are taking their education to new heights by getting hands-on training for high-demand careers in aviation.
Aviation students at the school are utilizing a classroom flight simulator to gain real-world experience.
WATCH BELOW: Students train on flight simulators for high-demand aviation jobs
"It's pretty cool... it's almost like real life," student Alexander Batallan said.
For five years, aviation instructor Frank LoPresti has watched more students take an interest in aviation, and he noted the timing couldn't be better.
"Unless you have the actual feel of flying an airplane, which this simulator gives you, it's really hard to emulate that through text, lectures and PowerPoint presentations," LoPresti said.
According to Boeing's 2025 Pilot and Technician Outlook, the aviation industry needs to hire 119,000 new commercial pilots over the next 20 years to meet demand and replace retiring pilots.
"It's making them aware of the demand, especially for air traffic controllers and pilots who need to retire after 65," LoPresti said.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office says air traffic controllers have decreased by 6% over the last decade.
"Technology is making it even more in demand through the military, commercial, and private. There are so many avenues they can take," LoPresti said.
The class is inspiring students like Sophia Durso, making her one of the few girls in the class and giving her the confidence to take the lead in a male-dominated industry.
"I plan on joining the military, the United States Air Force, and fly military aircraft, specifically fighter jets," Durso said. "I can do something that not a lot of women can do, I can perform just as well, and fly just as well as any man can."
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