written by Chilton Stewart
Dr. Patricia Young Thompson has seen and overseen just about everything you can see in aviation and its applied sciences. Literally everything from supply chains to quality inspection to making sure engineers are building the aircraft to spec. She is here to educate the youth about all the job opportunities available in aerospace. Indeed, to hear her talk about the subject one comes to the understanding that this untapped “market” for high paying jobs is something many young Black high school students who may not see their future at a four year college can find great success in.”
Patricia Thompson is the creator of “Arise! the Answer is you”. We are challenged with generational differences in the workplace and churches, housing epidemic, health care crisis, Prison Industrial complex, and mental instabilities.
With over 20 years experience working with the Federal Government and also having worked with private industry several capacities as a consultant she is more than adept to handle the demands thrown her way. Her previous work experience includes Wireless Telecom Project Engineer, Statistical Analyst, Information Technology Administrator, C-130 Aircraft Industrial Specialist, Workforce Development Manager, Global Strategic Management Consultant, Housing and Urban Development Technical Assistant Consultant – Welfare to Work Program for Women as well as an Adjunct Professor for Embry Riddle University. She is currently an Aviation Project/Program Manager for a Government Contracting company.
“Can I show kids that there are so many different areas such as manufacturing and engineering, quality control, monitoring contracts wielding, fabrication. There are so many different areas that kids need to know. So that they can have a good understanding of all the job opportunities that are out there for them. And a lot of these positions that are out there don’t require a college degree. Some of them you can just get a certification in some of these areas. So I want to make sure that I expose every area of opportunity to our young people.”
Dr. Thompson has served as a board member for several organizations including: State of Georgia Prison Re-Entry Program, Georgia YouthBuild Coalition, North Fulton School district –Local School Advisory Committee and Hands on Atlanta Discovery Program for kids in failing school districts. Hands on Atlanta community wide She is currently serving as a board member for Shades of Blue Aviation and Aerospace program (STEM), member of the American Statistical Association, Armed Forces Communications Electronics Association
She credits her father for sparking her curiosity and in a way setting her on her career path.
“Growing up my father would take us to the airport and we would park the car and we would have a little lunch and we would watch the aircraft fly across us. He would also take us to museums and different things exposing us to the sciences.”
“I had an internship while I was in college and I had mentors to pull me in and teach me. I started out in computer science, that was my degree and then from there I started learning more about aircraft. I did not really understand the aircraft until I moved here in 96 working for the department of defense at Lockheed Martin”
Dr. Thompson feels her internship and time at the Department of Defense taught her invaluable lessons that she plans to share with the community. “It was a great experience. It was the best experience that I had at the time because learning aircraft is just so interesting. I was able to be out there with the mechanics or with the engineers or quality control. Understanding every aspect of the business.” She continues “A lot of my volunteer efforts over the years is actually working with homelessness and women helping them with welfare to work programs. It was during that time that I really started understanding how much of a need was out here. So my platform is. How do we support our churches more? How do we work with communities we need to build back up again? How do we reach these young people and help them understand all these skills and trades that they can learn and be much more independent.”
Dr. Patricia Young Thompson Appears of VOTV
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