Carriebell Young plans to attend school at MVCC to earn a certificate in Airframe and Power Plant Mechanics and wants to work for the Federal Aviation Administration.
Carriebell Young was intrigued from a young age with her stepfather’s stories about fixing aircraft in the United States Air Force. When she got to high school and learned of Questar III’s Aviation Maintenance Technologies program at Rensselaer Educational Center in Troy, her stepfather encouraged her to visit the open house and then to enroll in the program.
Soon after the course began, however, Young wasn’t certain this was the field for her.
“I wanted to leave because I didn’t know anybody and it kind of felt like I didn’t belong here,” Young said.
Teacher John Mahony said he encouraged her to really think about it, and shortly after, she decided to stay and build on her strengths.
“She’s remarkably determined and very intelligent, so she chose to do the hard work of studying and making herself a student of aviation in every way,” said Mahony.
Young says she not only learned how to repair aircraft, but also about the necessity of teamwork and communication.
“That’s a big skill you need to have in the aviation industry. You need to be able to work with everyone because everyone works on the same aircraft. You have to have communication skills and teamwork skills and you need to have a lot of patience.”
She said she struggled at first with developing that teamwork because she didn’t know anyone and connecting with them was difficult, especially since the class (like the field) is made up largely of males. Young says Mahony helped make that easier by always pushing each of his students to always be their best.
“Mr. Mahony is a great teacher. He really expands our thinking on everything that we do. He pushes us and he doesn’t take no for an answer so he makes us strive to be our best.”
“She realized that even though initially it was hard for her to become part of the class, after just simply being herself it all fell into place for her. So it’s a perfect example of someone looking at an open road, not knowing where the road is going, and choosing to make decisions that put her in a position of control,” said Mahony.
Work-Based Learning is a main focus of all Career and Technical Education programs, and one of the experiences Young had the opportunity to explore was a job shadow at the 109th Airlift Wing in Scotia. There, her class was able to work alongside Air Force mechanics on a C-130 stored at the base.
A senior at Lansingburgh High School, Young says after she graduates she plans to attend Mohawk Valley Community College for one year to earn her certificate in Airframe and Power Plant Mechanics. That certificate allows one to be employed as an airplane mechanic. She says she is focusing on college now, but hopes one day to work for the Federal Aviation Administration.
By completing the Questar III Aviation Maintenance program, Young will be able to apply five college credit hours towards the program at MVCC when she attends in the fall.
She also hopes her success in the program will help draw in more young women to the field.
“I know this industry doesn’t have many women so I figured if I can succeed it would probably get other women to join Aviation Maintenance.”
