Goodwill Ambassadors of a younger sort

Hey! It’s me again . . . I am sitting here reminiscing on the events of the past year. It’s amazing to me that so much can happen over such a short period of time! You know how it is . . . the older we get, the faster it seems that time moves!

On a personal level, it seems that just yesterday my kids were little and following me around work when I’d come in to fix a phone line on a weekend. I love it when I’m walking through the terminals and I see families with small children going on trips to wherever it is they’re flying! The children are so fascinated with everything that makes the airport work. And the planes . . . hmmm . . . that seems to really make them think about the dynamics behind the design that keeps an object that size airborne! But I digress . . .

Looking back over the last year, one of the best opportunities I had again was the chance to participate in the Airport Authority’s “Take Your Child To Work” program. Last year it was enhanced with the creation of a “Careers in Aviation” program, which allowed the interns working at the airport to participate in workshops prepared by various departments throughout the Authority. Wow! By the way, it's easy to check out all the current internship opportunities at San Diego International Airport.

So what does this have to do with the Goodwill Ambassadors program? Well, talk about being an ambassador for the Airport Authority! Airport Authority employees who took time to meet and share their professions with those children and interns were some of the best ambassadors ever for the organization. Not to mention the fact that more than a few new, young, eager ambassadors for the airport were created!

This was not only a chance to share information and knowledge . . . but more importantly to have it passed on through these young people to other young people once they go back to school. And better yet, if some of these youngsters end up working at an airport at some point in the future, just imagine the fresh ideas they will bring to our industry!

Also creating more young ambassadors for the airport and the aviation industry is the Airport Authority's popular Airport Explorers Program and a special "Just for Kids" section of the Airport Authority's Web site, with fun activities like the one pictured below.

As Goodwill Ambassadors for the Airport Authority, it's good to remember that, as we share information about the airport with our friends, family and community contacts, we're also creating still more ambassadors for the Airport Authority.

Well, I’ve got to run for now. You know, “no rest for the weary!” Until next time . . .