Ask a second grader what they want to be when they grow up, and you might not be surprised to hear: YouTuber. At age seven, many children spend more time watching YouTube and Netflix than reading books or playing outside. Their heroes aren’t necessarily astronauts or pilots—they’re online personalities with ring lights and followers.
Meanwhile, aviation—especially business aviation—is nearly invisible to them.
And yet, research shows that by age seven, kids are already forming ideas about their future careers. Granted, they’re not making final decisions, of course. But they are eliminating options based on gender stereotypes, perceived attainability, and what they’ve been exposed to.
If they’ve never met a pilot, technician, scheduler, or flight attendant, they’re unlikely to imagine becoming one. Especially if that second grader is a girl or a person of color.
So, how do we compete with the likes of YouTube? How do we make aviation just as exciting to a second grader as an unboxing video? It starts with storytelling, representation, and access. And we, as an industry, need to show up, early and often.
We must market to the influencers on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, and we must reach parents.
Why Parents Matter
According to a Forbes article by education strategist Mark C. Perna, more than 80% of young people say their parents are the most significant influence on their career decisions.
That influence starts long before high school. Kids look to their parents to validate what’s possible, what’s practical, and what’s worth pursuing. So if mom and dad think flying is expensive, dangerous, or a poor lifestyle choice, their child probably won’t pursue it—even if they’re naturally drawn to aviation.
That means explaining that aviation is more than piloting—it’s an entire ecosystem of careers, many of which pay well, and not all require a four-year degree. From maintenance and dispatch to sales, finance, accounting, insurance, and operations, aviation offers a path for nearly every skillset.
And it’s a solid career path, too. According to U.S. News & World Report, airline and private pilots rank among the top 15 best-paying jobs in America, with a median salary of $219,000 and strong projected growth. But most parents don’t know that. They hear about airline furloughs and missed holidays, not business aviation careers with flexibility, stability, and deeply loyal teams.
Let’s Show Up Differently
Commercial airlines spend millions recruiting talent. They have booths at high school job fairs and digital ad campaigns. In business aviation, we can show up too, but in our own way. That means:
• Posting career-related content on platforms that kids (and their parents) access.
• Partnering with STEM programs and schools.
• Hosting hangar tours and career days.
• Supporting programs such as EAA Young Eagles, OBAP’s ACE Academies, and Girls in Aviation Day.
• Equipping our own team members to speak in classrooms and mentor students.
• Sharing stats in mainstream publications about the benefits of working in aviation.
And here’s the great news: many professionals in business aviation are already doing this. They’ve gotten wonderfully creative in finding ways to engage with students. I’ve seen them show up at schools, volunteer, mentor, and create all kinds of meaningful opportunities to connect with kids. These efforts are driven by passion, and they’re making a difference.
Don’t be afraid to be creative. If you see someone doing this kind of outreach, ask if you can help. See if you can join them. Attend a career day. Offer to speak. Even small efforts can have a big impact.
Let’s make sure the next generation hears our story early enough to believe it could be theirs, too.
The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by AIN Media Group.