Oak Ridge High School has revitalized and relaunched its Aviation and Aerospace Engineering Magnet as Orange schools considre broad changes to magnet programs district-wide.

The school, which is also home to three other magnets, has reshaped the program to more closely match the needs of future employers.

In a ceremony Wednesday, the district thanked partners including the U.S. Department of Defense, Lockheed Martin, military defense equipment company Cubic, the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division of the U.S. Navy, TEQ Games and the YMCA.

According to Boeing, 440,000 pilots and 660,000 aviation technicians will be needed by 12030. And a report from the University of Pennsylvania found that more than 40,000 aerospace engineers will be needed.

Flight simulators and software that allows students to role-play as aviators, meteorologists, scientists and engineers have been added to the program.

The magnet, is intended as a hands-on, college preparatory program to prepare students for careers in aviation and aerospace engineering. The magnet includes field trips, site visits and internship opportunities. Most students enter as freshmen, and a GPA of at least 2.5 is recommended.

Board members have been considering closing underperforming magnets and replicating the most successful ones.

Durrance Elementary has an aviation and aerospace magnet, but no middle schools have a comparable program.

Oak Ridge High is also home to the Junior Achievement Academy of Leadership and Entrepreneurship Magnet, the Hospitality ManagementMagnet and the Digital Media and Gaming Magnet.

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Oak Ridge revitalizes Aviation and Aerospace magnet program