Career Day at Plant 42 Takes Off

PALMDALE —  About 2,300 students from Antelope Valley high schools converged on Air Force Plant 42 on Friday for the sixth annual “Salute to Youth--The Career Connection.”

Employers were on hand to talk to the students about dozens of careers, ranging from auto refinishing to landscape architecture and aerospace jobs, during the half-day event that has grown every year since 1989.

Plant 42 sponsored the first career day as a community service project, recalled Plant 42’s former commander, Col. Mario Cafiero, who helped organize that first fair. Only about 400 students attended and aerospace was the lone industry represented.

Many of the students were especially enthusiastic about the display of military aircraft, such as the F-117 Stealth fighter, F-15 and F-16 fighters and the U-2 and SR-71 reconnaissance planes. About 100 students got to ride in a jet or one of several small planes.