Women in Aviation Conference Hits Long Beach

The annual Women in Aviation International Conference is getting ready to land in Long Beach, California, running from March 14 through 16. The career event promises to be particularly special this year as it will celebrate its 30th anniversary.

The conference hall will open on Thursday at 1 p.m. with a long list of exhibitors such as aircraft manufacturers; major and regional airlines; charter companies; corporate outfits; and the U.S. Military, Coast Guard, and Forestry Service. Representatives will be on hand to mentor interested candidates on how to get hired. The career event is not only targeted to pilots, but also flight attendants, air traffic controllers, mechanics and other aviation-related professionals. In some cases, interviews are conducted by recruiters on site.

A long list of terrific speakers will fill the schedule of the general sessions taking place on Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. You won't want to miss Captain Tammie Jo Shults, the first female F/A-18 Navy pilot whose calm demeanor led to the successful landing of Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 with one engine exploded; Gwynne Shotwell, president and COO of SpaceX; and Dr. Christine Darden, from the NASA Langley Research Center, who is an expert on sonic boom minimization.

There are many other activities going on in conjunction with the convention, including education sessions and field trips, some of which require pre-registration. Find out more by visiting wai.org. While this career fair is put on by the Women in Aviation, International, men are also invited and can benefit greatly from attending.