Colorado aviation leader expands outreach for students and educators

Hetty R. Beatty, the Aviation Education and Workforce Development Grant Program administrator and Outreach Specialist for the Colorado Division of Aeronautics, is using grants, events and volunteer leadership to widen access to aviation careers across Colorado. Her work centers on student outreach, educator support and workforce development as the industry looks for more talent.

Why it matters: - Colorado’s aviation pipeline depends on reaching students, educators and local communities before career decisions are made. - Beatty’s work links grant funding, public outreach and workforce development in one state aviation strategy. - Her focus on access is aimed at making aviation careers feel reachable to women and people from a wider range of backgrounds.

What happened: - Hetty R. Beatty serves as the Aviation Education and Workforce Development Grant Program administrator and Outreach Specialist for the Colorado Division of Aeronautics. - Beatty manages workforce development grants and supports aviation programs across Colorado. - Beatty represents the division at air shows, fly-ins, career fairs and educational events. - Beatty’s outreach is designed to connect students, educators and communities with opportunities in aviation. - Beatty is also Chair of the National Association of State Aviation Officials Education Committee. - Beatty volunteers with Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 301 as a Young Eagles Coordinator.

The details: - Beatty’s interest in aviation began after watching the original Top Gun. - Early messages about limited opportunities for women in aviation nearly pushed Beatty away from the field. - Beatty later enrolled in the Aviation and Aerospace Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver. - Beatty earned a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management. - Her career has included aviation education, museum programming, membership relations and workforce development. - Beatty managed a teacher flight program that flew approximately 700 educators without a single accident or incident. - Beatty says the experience reflected her focus on professionalism, safety and operational excellence. - Beatty says her father’s advice, “You got this, girl,” helped build her confidence. - Beatty encourages young women entering aviation to be proactive, attend events, join professional organizations and build relationships across the industry. - Beatty sees networking as especially important in aviation because connections can open doors and create opportunities. - Beatty believes passion, determination and commitment matter more than socioeconomic circumstances in aviation. - Beatty spends time outside work flying over Colorado with her husband in the aircraft he built. - Beatty also enjoys reading mystery novels.

Between the lines: - Beatty’s career shows how aviation outreach can serve both workforce development and inclusion goals at the same time. - Her path from early discouragement to leadership underscores how visible role models can change who sees a future in aviation. - The combination of grant administration and public engagement suggests Colorado is treating aviation education as a long-term talent pipeline, not a one-time outreach effort.

What's next: - Beatty is expected to keep promoting aviation careers through state programs, committee leadership and youth outreach. - Her guidance to students points to continued emphasis on relationships, professional organizations and hands-on exposure to the industry. - Colorado’s aviation education efforts will likely keep relying on partnerships between schools, community events and workforce programs.

The bottom line: - Beatty is using education, outreach and volunteer leadership to make aviation more accessible for Colorado’s next generation of workers.