The fall season holds fond memories and traditions, from cooler weather to pumpkin carving. It also includes one of our favorite celebrations at Southwest Airlines: Girls in Aviation Day! On Sept. 23, chapters of the non-profit organization Women in Aviation International (WAI) hosted Girls in Aviation Day events to share career opportunities within the aviation and aerospace industries with students.
As a proud Contributing Partner this year, 50 Southwest Employees attended 12 local events. These Employees, many from different departments throughout the Company, put their hearts into action by sharing their career journeys and facilitating hands-on activities. Activities covered science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related topics, like runway numbers and the phonetic alphabet.
Our goal for these events is to inspire students of all ages to find role models and picture themselves working in the aviation industry. Tenth-grade student Jessica M., an attendee at the Dallas event, shared, “Girls in Aviation Day opened my eyes to many opportunities in the aviation industry. I learned what steps I can take now to fly to what I can do even after I retire!”
Southwest First Officer Wendy HM. volunteered at an event in San Jose, Calif., where she saw the value of early career exposure. She reflected, “Participating in Girls in Aviation Day reminds me how cool aviation is. It’s a world filled with endless possibilities, and to see it through a child’s eyes—often for the first time—is awe-inspiring.”
We’re proud to support organizations like WAI to inspire more students to dream big—to marshal aircraft, navigate the skies, or deliver our famous Hospitality. Southwest offers year-round resources and programming for students of all ages. We encourage you to visit swa.is/GIAD to sign up and stay updated about our student initiatives, discover different career paths, and explore our Employees’ stories!