Aerospace career program launches at 9 Broward schools, including one in Miramar
Broward County’s future pilots, mechanical engineers and STEM experts will soon have a new pathway connecting classroom instruction to the aerospace industry.
Broward County Public Schools is partnering with Space Florida to bring the Space Florida Academy to nine high schools across the district, including Miramar High.
The district said the academy will launch at schools that have existing aerospace and engineering programs, such as Miramar High, which offers an Aviation Magnet Program in partnership with Broward College and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
The Space Florida Academy is designed to prepare students for high-demand careers in aerospace, aviation, engineering, advanced manufacturing and other STEM fields.
Space Florida, Florida’s aerospace economic development authority, was created by the state’s legislature in 2006 to help grow its presence in the industry and support space-related businesses.
The Miramar News reached out to BCPS for additional details, including when the academy will begin and the application process. The district had not responded as of Friday, July 10.
Florida is widely recognized to be the foremost state in the U.S. for aeronautical education, with Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach regarded as one of the country’s leaders in collegiate aviation.
The district said students who complete the program receive access to a job portal that shows companies that have hiring preferences to Space Florida Academy graduates.
“Through the Space Florida Academy, Broward County Public Schools is expanding opportunities for students to explore cutting-edge careers while developing the skills necessary for success in college and today’s competitive workforce,” BCPS Superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn said in a July 8 news release.
“This partnership reflects our commitment to providing innovative educational experiences that connect classroom learning with real-world career pathways.”
The Okaloosa County School District in Fort Walton Beach partnered with the academy in May.
