Utah students will explore aerospace and defense careers at Ogden-Hinckley Airport through hands-on experiences with employers following invitations informed by YouScience aptitude assessments, connecting their strengths with potential career pathways.
Ogden, Utah – October 19, 2026
Hundreds of Utah students will explore aerospace and defense careers at Ogden-Hinckley Airport on Wednesday, October 21, through an event designed to introduce them to occupations they may not have considered.
The Aerospace & Defense Career Discovery Day, running from 8:30 a.m. to noon, will bring together students in grades 8–12 from the Weber, Ogden and Davis school districts, alongside educators, employers and government representatives.
Students were specifically invited based on their YouScience aptitude results, which identified potential connections between their abilities and careers in aerospace and defense, according to event organizers. The approach is intended to broaden students’ awareness of opportunities rather than rely solely on careers they already know or express interest in.
Through hands-on demonstrations, aircraft experiences and direct conversations with employers, participants will explore how their strengths could translate into future coursework, credentials and employment.
Connecting Career Discovery With Education
Organizers describe the event as an example of the goals behind Utah’s First Credential Program, established through HB260 in 2025.
According to the Utah State Board of Education, the program aims to give students opportunities to graduate from high school with credentials connected to employment and further education. Approved routes include industry-recognized credentials, technical college certificates, youth apprenticeships, career and technical education pathways, and qualifying concurrent enrollment coursework.
The airport event focuses on an earlier step in that process: helping students recognize a potential career connection before deciding which courses or training to pursue. Attending the event does not itself confer a credential.
American Fork-based YouScience provides tools for aptitude assessment, career exploration, certification and individualized education planning. Its role in selecting participants illustrates how assessment results can inform experiences beyond the classroom.
Addressing a Career-Awareness Gap
The event comes amid questions about how well students understand their options after high school.
As TechBuzz reported in May 2025, YouScience’s 2025 Post-Graduation Readiness Report found that 77% of surveyed graduates said greater awareness of their strengths and career possibilities would have increased their engagement in school. Half reported having no work-based learning experience.
The national survey included more than 500 graduates from the high school classes of 2021–2024. Its findings provide context for the company’s emphasis on career discovery, though they do not measure outcomes from the upcoming Utah event.
TechBuzz also covered ECMC Group’s investment in YouScience in April 2025. That investment was intended to expand access to career-connected learning and strengthen connections among education, credentials and employment.
At Ogden-Hinckley Airport, the immediate objective is more tangible: give students an opportunity to meet people working in aerospace and defense, experience aspects of their work and consider whether those fields belong in their own educational plans.
Event Details
What: Aerospace & Defense Career Discovery Day
When: Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 8:30 a.m.–noon
Where: Ogden-Hinckley Airport, 3909 Airport Road, Ogden, Utah
Participants: Invited students from Weber, Ogden and Davis school districts, with YouScience, educators, employers and government representatives.
Register here.
Read more about Utah’s First Credential Master Plan.