Last Wednesday, Berkshire Industries hosted a group from the Wright Flight Program in Westfield. Nine seventh and eighth graders toured Berkshire, which has been in business over 50 years. Over the last several years Berkshire has participated in the Wright Flight program by hosting groups of students. (Photo submitted)
WESTFIELD – Reading about aviation technology versus seeing it in action first-hand are very different learning experiences. This is exactly why Berkshire Industries, a global leader in precision manufacturing of complex parts for the aerospace and defense industries, this week hosted 7th and 8th grade students from Western Mass. chapter of The Wright Flight Program – to give them the chance to experience the latest in aviation innovation and technology with their own eyes.
“It excites us to see young people so interested in learning about the world of aviation technology,” said Berkshire Industries President Duane Pekar. “And given its complexity, we knew there was no substitute for seeing our machining and production in person. These students could very well be the future of our industry.”
After hearing a presentation about the role precision parts play in the avionics industry, nine students from Granville Village and Westfield North Middle Schools walked the production floor with Berkshire leadership, as well as experienced other areas of the business including watching as engineers modeled parts on complex computer software, and a product testing demonstration.
The Leaders accompanying the students considered the experience invaluable and eye-opening for the students recognizing that spending time with skilled employees like the ones at Berkshire Industries evolves the student’s understanding and piques their interest like nothing else can.
The Wright Flight Program is a voluntary program to educate students from grade 7 through college on the significance of aviation in the development of technology, its global impact and the many careers in aviation.
