Bringing together guest speakers and hands-on activities, Everett Community College hosted Girls in Aviation Day this past Saturday, the college’s first since 2019. Center of Excellence staff were pleased to support the event.
The day kicked off with Rachel Camarillo, CFO and Executive Vice President of Erin Air, Inc., asking 15 girls from across Snohomish County to share their interest in the industry. Speakers from Boeing, ATS, and Hobart Machined Products Inc. followed, offering their experiences as women in the aerospace industry and talking about the challenges they faced, the lessons they’ve learned, and how they’ve succeeded in a male-dominated industry.
“We were encouraged to ask questions, and I feel it helped me speak up,” reported one attendee. Another said, “All these women’s experiences inspired me to do this even more.”
After a catered lunch the group moved into Everett’s aviation hangar. Situated on Paine Field, the hangar provided an ideal space and the
facilities for the girls to experience hands-on projects. A challenging drone course, over and around airplanes in the hangar, provided one
highlight. The girls reported other enjoyable activities including take-home crimping and metal model projects. Student volunteers from Everett as well as community volunteers, including staff from Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center, ensured the girls were safe and focused in the lab.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day today and look back on a successful Girls In Aviation Day, we at the Center of Excellence will keep finding ways to support women and girls in aviation, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing.