Sinclair Community College student Trace Curry
Complaints by some parents to their school-aged children that video games “aren’t good for you” may not necessarily be true.
Apparently, a “PlayStation” mentality can pay off for students interested in aviation and could lead to a future career in that industry.
The strong hand-eye coordination skills and familiarity with a visual readout (from playing video games) can particularly create an advantage for aviation students interested in the field of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), said Dr. Steve Johnson, President of Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. “I think there are a lot of things that go into being successful as a student in any programme and this is no different,” he said.
Twenty-three-year-old Trace Curry [No relation – Ed.], a student at Sinclair, is enrolled in the UAS programme and credits his passion for aviation and his video game playing background for part of his success in the school’s coursework. He’s among a handful of students at Sinclair seeking a short-term certificate in this field. “The classroom simulator came naturally to me after playing so many video games,” he said. Curry is armed with a strong computer background, too.
Curry said he pursued the UAS programme, in addition to his other aviation coursework, because he wants the skills to position himself for an entry-level technical position in the UAS industry. “I’m excited to be a part of a cutting edge program and learning skills in an industry where the sky is literally the limit,” he said.
The program at Sinclair features mission planning, data management and other fields of UAS study. Curry is also interested in becoming a pilot one day.
“I definitely feel like I’m getting into this fast-changing industry at the right time,” said Curry. “I’m really excited about my future.”
Source: CNN