Beginner Remote Pilot Program Launches at Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County

A new Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County program launches Sept. 24 and it’s sure to elevate the future career prospects of local young people to new heights.

Plus, for the purpose of this Friends & Neighbors column, its pun potential is, well, truly next level.

I’m referencing our new Beginner Remote Pilot Program. Created in conjunction with Indian River State College, the program introduces and immerses participants to the drone industry. Moreover, its curriculum—complete with hands-on sessions to train and sharpen those fine-motor skills so essential to maneuvering the aircraft—is a prerequisite to the follow-up course offering an FAA remote pilot certification.

BGCMC designed the course specifically for beginners ages 16-18. (The FAA-certification course requires a minimum age of 16.) The five-week course takes place from 8 a.m. to noon at IRSC’s Chastain campus in Stuart. One cohort begins Sept. 24 and a second starts Oct. 29. All necessary equipment will be provided. For more, please call (772) 545-1255

Once widely considered a curiosity or novelty, today drones (also referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles) represent a rapidly growing industry. Originally a tool of the military and law enforcement, aerial photography by drone is increasing ubiquitous in real estate, agriculture, firefighting, construction inspection, film production and more.

The global commercial market is nearly $14 billion with growth rates forecast at nearly 60 percent by the end of the next six years. The opportunities appear limitless. The sooner we prepare young people to compete in this space, the greater the service we provide them.

Drone certifications rank among coding, spatial reality, and other advanced technologies we’re planning to avail not only to BGCMC club members but also young people countywide. Such training complements our food truck, food prep and cooking program, which enables kids as early as middle school to earn certifications ideal for establishing great jobs and potential careers in the restaurant and hospitality industry.

Much of substance is said these days about the labor crisis, youth inertia and the overall erosion of our collective work ethic. At BGCMC, we aim every day to defy the negative trends and surprise the critics. Thanks to our partners and diverse future workforce development programs such as these, the future of our members, and the workforce they’ll energize and define, looks as bright and big as a cloudless blue sky—conditions ideal in which to soar.