California Aeronautical University (CAU) and the Kern High School District (KHSD) have officially launched the second year of the “Take Flight” collaboration, welcoming a new group of high school juniors and seniors to campus for hands-on aviation experience.
Students are on campus this week at CAU, stepping beyond the classroom and into the cockpit as part of the KHSD Regional Occupational Center (ROC) and Career Technical Education Center (CTEC) aviation pathway program.
As the professional industry partner, CAU provides the flight training component of Take Flight. Students fly aboard one of the University’s Cessna 172 aircraft and receive 10 hours of flight education, including five hours of hands-on flight instruction.
All program costs — including flight training and uniforms — are covered in full by KHSD ROC/CTEC.
Building on the momentum of its inaugural year, CAU and KHSD have continued refining the Take Flight program to better serve high school students. Adjustments to flight scheduling and closer integration between ROC and CAU — including the incorporation of CAU Certified Flight Instructors into the ROC program — have strengthened alignment between classroom instruction and in-aircraft training, setting students up for even greater success.
The program’s impact is already evident. Three ROC students have since enrolled at California Aeronautical University after gaining direct exposure to the University through Take Flight and related ROC aviation programs — demonstrating how early access and hands-on experience can expand students’ educational pathways.
“We’re proud of the foundation we built in year one and excited to see the program continue to grow,” said Matthew Johnston, President of California Aeronautical University. “When students are given real access to aviation — and a clear understanding of the opportunities available to them — it can truly change their trajectory.”
Take Flight student Saul Aguirre chose to participate in the program to try something different from what he was used to.
“The aviation program is new to ROC and it caught my interest,” Aguirre said. “I wanted to try something different. It feels awesome once you take off — you’re in a third-dimensional world because you can go up, down, left, and right. It makes me feel relaxed when I’m in the air.”
KHSD leaders emphasize the transformational impact of providing students with real-world experience beyond the classroom.
“ROC partnered with CAU to help develop the “Take Flight Program” to provide students with the most authentic experience possible in CTE Aviation education,” said David Carter, Supervising Administrator of ROC/CTEC. “If students are truly interested in pursuing a career in aviation, they deserve the opportunity to experience real flight time in an actual aircraft environment. Students and parents have shared how excited and grateful they are about this tremendous opportunity.”
Offered to eligible juniors and seniors within KHSD, the three-week program introduces students to core aviation concepts including aerodynamics, aviation safety, weather, and air traffic control procedures, while also exposing them to multiple aviation career pathways.
California Aeronautical University will host three separate three-week sessions from February through May 2026 at its Bakersfield campus. Additional updates and student outcomes from this year’s cohort will be shared later this spring.
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