NAPLES, Fla. – More than 50 Girl Scouts explored potential careers in aviation at Girls in Aviation Day, hosted in Naples Saturday by a collaboration between the airport and Girl Scouts of Gulf Coast Florida. The event aimed to address the meaningful gender gap in the industry, were women currently represent only about 10% of pilots.
Participants had the chance to experience aviation firsthand, including climbing aboard vintage aircraft, learning aircraft marshalling signals, and meeting pilots and EMTs from Collier County MedFlight.
“It’s a field that doesn’t often have a lot of female representation,” said Mary Mathews, of Girl Scouts of Gulf Coast, Florida. “It’s been such an incredible day to see women in roles that the girls can aspire to.”
The event comes as the aviation industry anticipates growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 4% increase in overall employment for airline and commercial pilots from 2024 to 2034.
Those interested in receiving breaking news and weather alerts can download the free gulf Coast News app, and stream local news and entertainment via the Very Local Gulf Coast app.
