Elizabeth City State University and Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools have formed a pioneering dual-enrollment partnership to expand aviation career pathways for students in northeastern North Carolina.
The new ECPPS Aviation Academy at Northeastern High School provides free, dual-enrollment courses and hands-on aviation experiences that lead directly into ECSU’s aviation program.
ECSU supplies faculty and resources, while the district handles implementation and covers student fees. Both partners offer pathways to high-demand roles through internships and workforce development.
At the launch, Northeastern High School sophomore Abel E. Sutton reflected student enthusiasm for aviation careers.
In a similar initiative, Tuskegee University relaunched its Aviation Science Program in the summer of 2025, training nearly 50 students—including Isaiah Hand, who recently earned his private pilot’s license—using $6.7 million in federal support.
Isaiah Hand, a senior from Tallahassee, Florida, began aeronautical ratings at Tuskegee University and continued training through the summer to earn his private pilot’s license—the first for an Aviation Science major at Moton Field in nearly 80 years.
Now pursuing his instrument rating, he plans to follow with a commercial pilot’s license and multi-engine rating.
As a first-generation college student, Isaiah described his journey as uncharted.
The Bachelor of Science in Aviation Science, offered through the Aerospace Science Engineering Department—the second largest in Tuskegee’s engineering college—features courses in aerodynamics, aviation safety, meteorology, operations management, and FAA-certified pilot training. Currently, 49 students are enrolled in the program.
In a related effort to strengthen workforce training, Piedmont Airlines and UMES joined forces to open an aircraft maintenance technician certification program.
Supported by over $3 million in grants, the program aims to prepare students for vital roles in aviation maintenance.
Piedmont Airlines donated a fully functional Embraer 145 aircraft and two static Rolls-Royce turbofan engines to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s new FAA-certified Aviation Maintenance Program. This hands-on training opportunity will help shape the next generation of skilled aviation technicians, right here on the Eastern Shore.