Disability Mentoring Day is a job-shadowing program designed for people with all types of disabilities, enabling career exploration to take place outside the hiring context so job seekers with disabilities can learn about employers and potential career opportunities. For students, it’s an opportunity to emphasize the connection between school and work, evaluate personal goals, explore possible career paths, and develop lasting mentor relationships. Science, technology, engineering, math and computer science were specific areas of interest for participants and their mentors.

At Pax River, an group of 16 local high school students from the tri-county area and 13 job candidates from across the nation participated in NAVAIR’s fifth Disability Mentoring Day. This event provided them a unique opportunity to explore the sites and sounds of Pax River while discovering the vast career opportunities NAVAIR has to offer.

Equally enthusiastic were NAVAIR’s DMD co-sponsors: Ed Greer, NAWCAD executive director and deputy assistant commander for test and evaluation; and Jim Meade, head, unmanned aviation, strike weapons, and NAVAIR programs contracts. Greer and Meade offered welcoming remarks and encouraged participants to use this opportunity to display their interests, ask questions and reflect on whether NAVAIR might be their employer of choice, now or in the future.

‘‘From top down, NAVAIR is a Navy activity that embraces diversity within the workforce,” said Gary Kurtz, assistant commander for corporate operations and disability mentoring day executive champion. ‘‘The mentors here with you today recognize that diversity is a key element of our recruitment and retention strategy. The different experiences, backgrounds and talents of our civilian workforce combine to enable the development and execution of new and innovative. The bottom line is, we need great people — strong, skillful candidates who will contribute to the mission of our organization,” said Meade.

Job candidates spent the balance of the morning with mentors they were matched with based on their career interests — while high school students toured key locations on the base, including VX-20, where they explored a C-130 Hercules and T-2 Buckeye; the Aviation Survival Training Center where they observed the simulator used for enhancing sailors’ and marines’ survival skills; and finally the Pax River Fire Department, where they toured one of its three facilities and supporting equipment.

‘‘It’s really cool to see things that not many people get to see,” said Great Mills High School student Alex Sieg, who is interested in pursuing a career in engineering.

‘‘I’m grateful for the chance to visit Pax River and learn more about what career opportunities are here,” said Joseph Legacy, a senior at North Point High School and future engineering prospect whose parents served in the US Air Force.

Disability Mentoring Day at Pax River was a collaborative community effort between the NAVAIR Individuals with Disabilities Recruiting Team, Division of Rehab Services (DRS) and Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s County Public Schools.

‘‘I’m so pleased with the strong relationship we’ve developed with NAVAIR and the Individuals with Disabilities Recruiting Team,” said Ben Bryan, director of the Southern Maryland Division of Rehab Services. ‘‘They’ve made this experience so pleasant and fun for the participants and we truly feel like a partner”.

DRS works closely with NAVAIR’s Individuals with Disabilities Recruiting Team by recommending worksite accommodations that will enhance the employee’s performance on the job.

Similar activities and programs will be held across NAVAIR in an effort to promote and strengthen diversity in the workforce. Upcoming events include: