Denver Airport’s Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation

Denver Airport's CEEA.

First off, can we get an update of the students on Denver International Airport’s (DEN) exchange student partnership. How are the participants of the partnership doing now?

Denver International Airport was host to four international exchange students from Africa who are part of the TechGirls programme, an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs – administered by Legacy International in partnership with WorldDenver – to help empower and inspire young women to pursue careers in STEM.

The students participated in private airfield tours, were given behind-the-scenes access to projects like the Great Hall Project and business technologies professions. They also met DEN leaders to gain a better understanding of airport operations, elements of their career interests and the education needed to enter careers in aviation. The girls spent two days of their trip to the U.S. at DEN and enjoyed a couple additional days in Denver before returning to their homes. Currently, they are in the midst of their traditional school year. In Spring 2024, there will be chances to pursue follow-on opportunities with the U.S. Department of State.

Why did you feel the need to encourage this exchange, and what benefits did you see happening (were these benefits achieved)?

DEN remains a significant economic engine for the Rocky Mountain region, generating $36 billion annually, with over 39,000 badged employees and 1,200 employers represented. In 2032, or sooner, passenger levels are anticipated to exceed 100 million annual passengers and DEN would support 447,386 jobs with a total economic impact of $71.28 billion.

In response to this unprecedented growth, DEN developed the Vision 100 Strategic Plan, which includes the establishment of the Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation (CEEA). CEEA prepares current and future employees for a career pathway in the aviation industry, a field with critical workforce challenges with a keen focus on marginalised communities. Our strategic plan has three other pillars: growing our infrastructure, maintaining what we have, and expanding our global connections. We saw this exchange as a unique opportunity to both educate and support future generations and connect with students internationally. We felt the benefits of the exchange were achieved as we were able to learn from the girls about their academic and career interests and the connections they see in the aviation industry.

Would you tell us about the Legacy International partnership with WorldDenver? How did it come about?

DEN has sponsored events with WorldDenver, given the alignment of the mission of DEN and WorldDenver. As the region’s largest international airport and the third busiest airport in the world, the connection between the two organisations is synergistic, and DEN is seeking to expand global connections with a focus on disconnected regions around the globe. A big focus right now is the goal of connecting Denver to the continent of Africa and DEN plans to continue supporting the partnership.

How does this stand more broadly with CEEA’s broader aims for Vision 100 for the airport?

DEN welcomes and encourages access to educational opportunities within the airport and aviation industry. Through CEEA, we are building the infrastructure to allow students in the Denver metro region, statewide, nationwide, or international, to participate in that educational experience.

As DEN prepares to welcome 100 million annual passengers, building the pipeline for students to be exposed to aviation and have experiences in the industry is critical to our success. Beyond Vision 100, is our master plan, Operation 2045, which plans for the time after DEN reaches 100 million annual passengers and will include an additional terminal and additional concourses. As we prepare for increased passenger traffic in the upcoming years, it is crucial we have these career pathways programmes in place to ensure we have a workforce capable of filling essential positions at DEN.

DEN’s CEEA looking to promote airport careers for young people.

How do you ensure you are targeting underrepresented communities with these campaigns?

CEEA has an intentional outreach strategy that targets underrepresented communities through the utilisation of data metrics. We are currently building a data consortium model to aid us in better targeting underrepresented communities but have used existing data to influence our outreach efforts.

Our current stakeholder list ranges from K-12 school districts, higher education, non-profit organisations and community-based organisations. CEEA also has a dedicated Community Affairs team member who connects community members to CEEA and provides regular communication to keep our stakeholders informed of upcoming programming opportunities.

Strengthening communities with DEN’s CEEA.

How do you ensure participants of your education project are properly equipped with the necessary skills, so they aren’t subject to burnout and overwork when entering the workforce?

CEEA has a tiered career pathways programme that provides exposure, experiential learning, paid experience, and professional development to students through current DEN employees. Programming starts as young as kindergarten and continues through high school.

Students participate in professional skills development training, which includes identifying their skillsets, time management, effective career management, and more. The tiered programme shows them how to progress throughout their career by introducing multiple careers and career mapping.  For our current employees, we offer a robust wellness programme that is focused on providing resources, education, events and challenges to help DEN employees maintain and improve their overall health and well-being. Our objective with this programme is to empower employees to make healthy and informed choices and encourage their own personal wellness. The programme takes a holistic approach, emphasising four pillars of wellness: physical, mental, financial and professional.  

What are some key features of CEEA’s Business Development Training Academy (BDTA)?

The Business Development Training Academy seeks to support small businesses during the lifecycle of their business at DEN by providing training at all transitional points of the business. Through this three-tiered approach, the Business Development Training Academy helps small businesses have a systematic approach to entering DEN in the areas of construction, professional services, goods and services, and concessions.

The three primary goals of BDTA are to create, educate, and cultivate an environment where small businesses can grow and connect with other businesses and industry groups. The academy is helping to build a pipeline for certified small businesses, from learning about opportunities to graduating from the City and County of Denver’s small business certification programmes. As a result of these modular training, DEN will be able to increase the pool of certified firms ready, willing, and able to do work and be successful at DEN.  

CREDIT: Denver International Airport

About the author 

Stephanie A. Burke is currently the Director of the Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation at Denver International Airport (DEN). She has spent the last decade of her career in the transportation field and most recently joined the aviation industry. She is responsible for the development and implementation of DEN’s Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation which will house Career Pathways programmes that create an aviation talent pipeline and a Research and Innovation Lab geared towards identifying industry best practices.

Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, Law, and Society from the University of California Irvine; a master’s degree in Leadership and Management from the University of La Verne; a Project Management Certificate from the University of California Los Angeles and is a certified Project Management Professional.

In her free time, Stephanie enjoys all the outdoor activities Colorado has to offer, travelling, and spending time with her husband and two sons.