Trumbull County Educational Service Center and Trumbull County Career and Technical Center (TCTC) is preparing to launch a new drone program for Trumbull County students.

At the unveiling of the new program Monday morning, former congressman Tim Ryan and Congressman David Joyce (R-OH) spoke about how this will give students a first hand experience in the realm of drone technology prior to students entering the workforce.

The program will teach students how to build and fly drones while exploring its vast potential in various career fields. Such as environmental and crop monitoring- where drones can track changes in the ecosystem.

Ed Mackiewicz, curriculum and instruction supervisor for Trumbull County Educational Service Center, said there are a range of drone skills that will be useful in many industries.

"Whether it's agricultural and farming, whether that's electrical and line work, or even entertainment purposes of doing photography," Mackiewicz said.

Congressman Joyce said this program will open the door for careers in the government.

"Monitoring pipelines, monitoring our boarder. As chair of the Homeland Security Appropriations committee, I can tell you that is one of the biggest investments we have," Joyce said. 

Program officials say an Air Mobility Center is in the works at TCTC and will house a drone lab. 

The program will start in 2024. Students will begin working towards earning industry-recognized credentials for high school graduation.