Pupils at Cedar Primary School in Bonteheuwel were encouraged to “fly high” when they were introduced to different career paths within the aviation industry.
An aviation awareness day, which was held at the school on Tuesday June 8, was made possible thanks to a partnership between the Progressive Principals’ Association (PPA) and the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA).
Cedar Primary principal Carlin Symonds is a member of the PPA.
The children were in awe as they watched a helicopter land at the school and then met the pilot.
Among the guest speakers was Ntumeko Scott, a fixed-wing pilot from Gugulethu, who told the pupils to not let their circumstances dim their dreams.
According to Themba Thabetbu, the regional manager of SACAA, eight PPA schools in Cape Town were chosen for the programme. Two of these schools – Cedar and Boundary primary schools – are in Bonteheuwel.
Four Air Traffic Service staff from Johannesburg spoke to the children about aviation-related jobs, including pilots, engineers who design and manufacture aircraft, airport ground workers, flight attendants, mechanics, doctors, and lawyers.
The pupils were quizzed about the aviation career awareness day and some of them won prizes.
Ms Symonds encouraged her pupils to dream big.
“It was a mind-blowing experience for our pupils to have such a close and personal experience with this aviation awareness programme,” she said. “We have planted seeds with this programme and will watch our learners who will choose aviation as a career field. One of them might just be the pilot on the Boeing that will fly me on my trip around the world.”
