MILWAUKEE — In a celebration of empowerment, young girls from around the area took a behind-the-scenes visit to Mitchell International Airport as a special aviation event to inspire the next generation of women in aviation — whether they be female pilots or aviation enthusiasts. The skies aren’t the limit, they’re just the beginning.
Aviation needs women — it’s a sweeping statement, but really it’s true. With an eye on making that a reality, a special organization is all about exposing young women to this traditionally male-dominated field.
It’s Women in Aviation International, and the Southeast Wisconsin Chapter recently held an event at Mitchell International to show girls in middle school and high school the basics of what it’s like to work in an aviation-related field.
“Women are underrepresented in the aviation field, and it’s very important to plant a seed in the teenage years,” says Pat Rowe, Director of Air Service Development at Mitchell Field.
She says many of these girls’ families have never even traveled by plane.
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“And so it’s important to introduce girls to just the concept and what can they do in aviation and what all the possibilities are,” Rowe said.
The Air National Guard brought in a Med-evac Blackhawk helicopter piloted by two women. Air Wisconsin also taxied an airplane over, so the girls could take a look inside an airplane.
“There are tours of airport operations, and there’s a panel of speakers, women who are very involved in aviation and experts in their field,” Rowe explains.
The Manager for the state of Wisconsin’s flight department and the first woman pilot for Governor Evers, Lauren Sherrick, even had some encouraging words of wisdom for the ladies, showing that she has shattered glass ceilings throughout her career.
“There’s just so many opportunities out there for aviation in all aspects, whether you’re flying them, fixing them, making them, controlling them, managing, whatever you do, or just going for fun,” Sherrick said.
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And Milwaukee County is investing in youth in all aspects.
“The airport is owned and operated by Milwaukee County, and getting young people interested in careers early on is very much an initiative of Milwaukee County Executive and the county supervisors,” Rowe said.
As a matter of fact, District 11 County Supervisor Kathleen Vincent was also on hand:
“Our youth are very important to us. Just a year ago, we did revitalize the Youth Commission. And so basically for young women, this is really important to showcase a field that may not always be something they’re thinking of. And so aviation is something that’s definitely open to women.”
Simply put, there’s room for everyone in aviation, and these ladies, and this organization in general, are here to inspire and empower girls who pursue careers in aviation from pilots to engineers, air traffic controllers to airport operations. The sky’s not the limit. It’s just the beginning.
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