Aspiring entrepreneurs explore aviation careers at Naples Airport

NAPLES, Fla. - EntSun -- Eighteen high-achieving teens crisscrossed Naples Airport, soaking up knowledge about general aviation through a unique program that provides high school students with opportunities to explore a broad spectrum of industries.

For three consecutive mornings, Oct. 20-22, teens participating in the Southwest Florida CEO program arrived at Naples Airport before sunrise for a series of meetings, information sessions and an airfield tour. They learned about the airport's uses beyond private and corporate aviation, including public service agencies like the Collier County Sheriff's Office, Collier County MedFlight, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Collier Mosquito Control and others.

Educational sessions also covered Naples Airport Authority's efforts to be a good neighbor and community partner, including multiple noise mitigation efforts, event sponsorships and award-winning environmental sustainability programs. These programs include the introduction of alternative fuels, conversion to electric vehicles, creation of a stormwater filtering system and establishment of an ecological corridor on the airfield.

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"A mile of runway at the Naples Airport offers a world of opportunities for aspiring students," said Chris Rozansky, executive director of the Naples Airport Authority. ""Our hope is that students in the CEO program learned a little more about this great asset to our community, and maybe a few were inspired to pursue a career in aviation just as I was at their age."

Launched in 2024, Southwest Florida CEO is a dual-enrollment program through Florida Gulf Coast University that partners with local businesses and organizations to provide high school students with opportunities to develop workforce skills, such as problem solving, teamwork, self-motivation, responsibility, communication and professionalism.

This year's cohort of 18 students represents five public and private high schools in Collier County. Southwest Florida CEO also pairs each student with a mentor from FGCU's School of Entrepreneurship.

"The entrepreneurial spirit is great and these students are ambitious," said Kelly Wilson, FGCU's director of student success and community outreach programs. "Our goal is for them to see the value of where they live, go off to college and come back here to launch that business and grow the ecosystem here in Southwest Florida."

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One student especially interested in the inner workings of Naples Airport was Vibhav Nimmagadda, a senior at Gulf Coast High School in Naples. He recently obtained his pilot license after studying for more than a year and hopes to pursue a career in the aviation industry, so the tour and briefings at Naples Airport could potentially provide additional inspiration as he considers career opportunities.

"It's been a long journey, but it's always been fun," said Nimmagadda, who was particularly intrigued by Naples Airport's fuel farm operation. "It's nice flying in and out of somewhere so nice because the weather is perfect all of the time."