WATSONVILLE — Inside a working hangar at Watsonville Municipal Airport, Pajaro Valley Unified School District students are constructing a full-scale aircraft and getting hands-on experience through a program designed to prepare them for careers in aerospace, engineering and advanced manufacturing.
The students are building a fully-operational Van’s RV-12 airplane as part of the PVUSD’s Career Technical Education Engineering Technology pathway. The program and the build lab served as the centerpiece of a visit Thursday by members of the State Workforce Development Board during its Central Coast tour.
Throughout the day, SWD Board members visited workforce training sites across Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties to learn about regional efforts supporting workforce readiness and economic mobility. At the Watsonville Airport, students demonstrated their progress on the aircraft build and shared their learning experiences.
“We are proud of our students, our educators and our partners,” PVUSD Superintendent Heather Contreras said. “This work shows what is possible when we give students meaningful opportunities to learn by doing and when we align education with the real needs of our workforce.”
The program, which partners with Drone, Aviation and Robotics Technology, known at DART, and Joby Aviation, connects students to industry professionals and career paths. Students gain hands-on technical training and exposure to aviation standards as the Watsonville hangar operates as a lab, giving students experience with precision tools, aircraft materials and quality control practices under strict safety guidelines.
The Experimental Aircraft Association, an organization whose mission is to promote aviation experience and careers among youth, provides the space in their airplane hangar for the students to utilize.
“These kinds of experiential learning opportunities are essential,” Tom Hail of the Experimental Aircraft Association said. “When students can see, touch and participate in aviation projects, it helps spark lifelong interest and opens doors to technical careers. Programs like this provide invaluable exposure to the world of aviation.”
Joby Aviation, a Santa Cruz-based advanced air mobility company developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, is one of the regional employers the students might seek employment at. Joby contributes technical guidance to the students.
“Partnering with PVUSD allows us to support students as they explore careers in aviation and advanced technology, while helping build a skilled workforce for the future,” Omar Perez-Sandoval of Joby Aviation said.
Josh Metz, executive director of DART, said the build lab is part of a broader effort to strengthen regional aviation and aerospace pathways.
“We work to bring together schools, employers, airports and workforce leaders to build real-world aviation pathways,” Metz said. “The RV-12 Airplane Build Lab at Watsonville Municipal Airport is more than a classroom project — it’s a tangible entry point into the region’s growing aerospace and low-altitude economy.”
The superintendent praised the program’s partners for their contributions to local students.
“This program represents what is possible when education and industry come together with a shared commitment to student success,” Contreras said. “Our students are gaining meaningful, hands-on experience that builds confidence, technical skills and clear pathways into careers that will shape the future of our region and our state.”