FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 5, 1998
FAA Contact: Kathryn Creedy
(202) 267-3883
Website Contact: Patricia Klinger
(202) 366-4831
DOT 41-98
WEBSITE LAUNCH DEMONSTRATES
EXCITING CAREERS IN TRANSPORTATION
AT AVIATION CAREER DAY WITH
TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY SLATER
Urging students around the nation to pursue challenging vocational goals, Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater today launched a new Department of Transportation website enabling them to explore dynamic careers in exciting technology and transportation fields.
The website launch, an initiative of the department’s Garrett A. Morgan Technology and Transportation Futures Program, was the feature of an on-line career day at Reagan
Washington National Airport joining elementary and middle school students from Ohio, New York, New Jersey and California with aviation professionals and local area students. At National Airport, students had opportunities to see airport and flight operations and view the new website, which will serve as a clearinghouse for transportation and education-related materials.
"President Clinton has made the education of our nation’s youth one of his highest priorities as we meet the challenges of the next millenium," said Slater. "The Garrett A. Morgan program is showing students that pilots, engineers and other key transportation jobs are among the most rewarding and exciting careers around today -- and will be in the future."
The career day began with a tour of Reagan Washington National Airport for 65 students from Bradbury Heights Elementary School, Francis Jr. High School, and Drew Freeman School. Students worked throughout the day with commercial and corporate pilots, a flight attendant, an aviation maintenance technician, airport operations officials and FAA and U.S. Coast Guard personnel.
Secretary Slater was joined on-line by students from the Morgan School of Science, Cleveland; Arbor Hill Elementary School, Albany, N.Y.; William Davies Middle School, Mays Landing, N.J.; Isla Vista Elementary School, Goleta, Calif.; and Locke, North Hollywood and Wilson High Schools of Los Angeles to talk about careers in transportation and the Garrett A. Morgan Technology and Transportation Futures Program.
The Garrett A. Morgan program is designed, in part, to reach students in kindergarten through 12th grade to educate them about career opportunities in transportation. The goal is to ensure that America has a workforce prepared for the technologically challenging jobs of the 21st century.
Secretary Slater said that the program is based on partnerships with people and industries in all modes of transportation, and that they will play a crucial role in ensuring that the U.S. transportation system meets the needs of the next century.
The Garrett A. Morgan Technology and Transportation Futures Program consists of four key initiatives: improving students’ math, science and technology skills, strengthening links between the transportation sector and community colleges, junior colleges and technical schools, expanding transportation programs at undergraduate and graduate-level institutions, and life-long learning to ensure the availability and accessibility of continuing education programs for transportation practitioners.
The Morgan program is named in honor of Garrett A. Morgan (1876-1963), an African-American entrepreneur who invented, among other things, the three-phased automated traffic signal and the safety hood, later known as the gas mask.
The unveiling of this home page comes at a time when the department is celebrating its 30th anniversary of service to the American people. The website was developed by a department-wide task force and can be accessed via the Internet at http://education.dot.gov/. The website is part of a national transportation education initiative launched by Secretary Slater last May.
Today’s event was a collaborative effort of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), United States Coast Guard, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and Signature Flight Support.
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