The Innovation Zone at this year’s NBAA show is home to the Young Professionals, or YoPro, group. NBAA’s staff founded YoPro in 2014 to create a network for young professionals in the business aviation industry.
According to its official website, the group aims to promote networking and industry practices while building a community for future aviation leaders. YoPro will host two events at the convention this week—a networking reception today from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and an education session on Thursday from 9 to 10 a.m.
This is not the first time the Young Professionals group has held these events. At last year’s show in Las Vegas, the YoPro networking reception provided participants with the opportunity to connect with other young professionals as well as industry experts. There, the Airport Business Top 40 Under 40 list was published, showcasing the industry’s rising stars of the year.
Meanwhile the education session titled “Elevate to New Heights: Young Professionals and the Future of Business Aviation,” featured a discussion of industry changes and the impact young professionals are making in the business aviation community. There were about 300 attendees at the reception and 130 at the education session. YoPro registration assistant Sierra Grimes and NBAA senior v-p of communications Dan Hubbard anticipate that this year’s numbers will remain the same.
In order to reach out to the wider aviation community, YoPro recently launched the Young Professionals Council. This advisory group, which is comprised of 25 young professionals from the business aviation industry, plans events that create a sense of community for the group. These initiatives, such as the networking and education sessions at the NBAA convention, focus on community outreach, marketing, mentorship, internship, professional development and sponsorship.
“We’ve created this entity with a certain number of people represented on it who are themselves young professionals with our member companies,” said Hubbard. “What they’re trying to do is help support the work that NBAA is doing through the YoPro program—to engage young people’s careers in aviation.
“In a less formal way, adults with our member companies are often very enthusiastic in attending YoPro events at the shows or conferences. They get a lot out of it and so do the young professionals. Young professionals get exposure to could-be mentors, people who they can ask practical questions to. At the same time, career veterans feel like they can give something back.”
Looking forward, the Young Professionals group plans on expanding its reach to international air shows. For example, the group already held its second annual EBACE Young Professionals session in Geneva last May where attendees were able to discuss the European business aviation sector with Europe-based industry leaders. Panellists included CEO of Diamonté Jets Rohan Mark Jayawardene, Diana Zuluaga, co-founder of Jet D’or, and business aviation attorney David Shannon.
Besides international conferences, YoPro events are expanding to other shows in the U.S. The YoPro Council is planning events for the 2017 Schedulers & Dispatchers conference, which will take place February 7-10 at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Texas. Aptly, the theme of the convention is “Steer your Career.” The council is also gearing up for the 2017 Maintenance Conference in West Palm Beach, Fla. from May 2 to 4.