A model for other state education services agencies to follow, the cooperative purchasing contract with the New York State BOCES provides significant cost savings to school districts looking to implement the proven SkyOp Drone Training Curriculum which prepares high school juniors and seniors for in-demand STEM careers as full-service drone pilots.
Canandaigua, N.Y. – SkyOp LLC, developer of industry-leading drone training courseware, announced that it has been awarded a cooperative purchasing contract to make its customizable SkyOp Drone Training Curriculum available to local school districts through the New York Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). Under the state-wide agreement, SkyOp will deliver its proprietary workforce-development STEM curriculum directly to local districts while the BOCES will provide support and training for teachers and district staff to roll out the curriculum. Eliminating much of the financial concern for budget-conscious school boards, the cooperative agreement enables school districts to receive funds from the state (BOCES aid) for purchases made through the program based on the state approved formula. Educational institutions and statewide educational support organizations looking to learn more about the ready-to-deploy SkyOp Drone Training Curriculum can visit: https://www.skyop.com/training-solutions/stem-cte-ptech/.
The SkyOp Drone Training Curriculum goes beyond the basics of drone racing or aerial imaging to teach a cohesive skill set that combines regulatory, operational and technical knowledge about drones with data collection and analysis workflows in order to prepare students for careers as licensed drone pilots. With proprietary instructor and student editions of its cloud-based e-textbook, SkyOp can deliver ever-evolving course materials in real-time. This ensures instructors have the most up-to-date teaching tools and students have access to a blended learning experience that immediately positions them for careers using drones. As drone applications continue to diversify, graduates of the SkyOp Drone Curriculum are eligible for in-demand careers in law enforcement, media, agriculture, real estate, construction, insurance and more.
“BOCES actually changed my life, so I know first-hand the affects that programs like this can have on students’ lives, and I see an opportunity to change the career trajectory for students across the country.” said Brian Pitre, SkyOp LLC’s Chairman of the Board. “In high school I was a bit of a lost student until a teacher recommended me for a data processing curriculum made possible through BOCES. I fell in love instantly, became the top student in my class, and now I have BOCES to thank for my 52 years in the technology industry.”
As a customizable curriculum, the SkyOp Drone Training Curriculum can be tailored to fit each educational institution’s unique needs. This flexibility is ideal for schools looking to integrate drone training into current school year or summer programs for high school juniors and seniors. The six core components of SkyOp’s comprehensive STEM curriculum represent more than 300 hours of instruction and coursework which includes:
The SkyOp Drone Training Curriculum was refined in partnership with Hudson Valley Community College and the U.S. Department of Labor’s U.S. Job Corps in Oneonta, NY. Having seen the effectiveness of the curriculum first-hand, Oneonta Job Corps Academy Director, Chris Kuhn, noted, “The SkyOp program goes way beyond preparing students for the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot exam to include various flight applications, data collection practices and understanding the useful work drones can deliver. Our graduates will be a step ahead of the others thanks to SkyOp.”
To learn more about the SkyOp ready-to-deploy drone curriculum and how it could benefit institutional STEM programs, or to explore cooperative educational service options in your local area, please visit: https://www.skyop.com/training-solutions/stem-cte-ptech/
About SkyOp LLC
Headquartered in Canandaigua, N.Y., SkyOp LLC develops industry leading drone training courseware, licenses it to its partners and delivers it directly to end users, facilitating the safe, lawful and effective adoption of drone technology. Its turnkey training solutions range from introductory hands-on drone training to nationally recognized high school STEM curricula. In addition to hosting training courses, SkyOp works with educational institutions, public safety organizations and businesses of all sizes to develop custom training solutions that meet their unique needs. To learn more about SkyOp, please visit: https://www.skyop.com.
