During a recent training exercise for Island Air Explorers, Capt. Lance Monroid stood in front of the cockpit and asked the teens, "Where does the pilot sit?"

That was an easy question for 18-year-old Kailua High School student Jacob Naihe, who quickly called out, "The seat I’m in."

Monroid laughed and stepped aside so that Naihe could assume command of the aircraft long enough to become familiar with the instrument panel and its rainbow of lights and gears. The teen, who hopes to study aviation next year at the University of North Dakota, didn’t leave the ground that night. But someday he hopes to.

"I’ve always wanted to be a pilot," said Naihe, who is one of 15 students participating in a 10-week Island Air Explorers program, which is offered to students between the ages of 14 and 20 who want to learn more about aviation-related careers.

Island Air employees like Monroid volunteer their time so that youth like Naihe will get the opportunity for hands-on training directly from the people who perform those functions every day. They also hope the program will build the pool of qualified job candidates.

Despite the pending shutdown of go! Airlines in Hawaii, the global aviation industry is poised for growth.

"It’s definitely a better environment for (young people) to come into," said Brad DiFore, co-founder and managing partner of Ailevon, an air service consulting company. "The stability of the industry is the best that it’s been since before deregulation in 1979. There wasn’t a lot of hiring in the last decade because of all of the financial problems. Layoffs also happened from the bottom, so the industry has an aging workforce."

According to a report released in February by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the industry is concerned with pilot shortages and could struggle to fill the roughly 1,900 to 4,500 pilot jobs per year needed over the next decade to supplement the current pilot workforce, which at 66,000 commercial pilots is at its lowest level since 2000.

DiFore said carriers are working to get the word out that it’s a good job market for flight attendants, crews and pilots especially pilots because a total generation of them are getting close to retirement and the FAA has stepped up its requirement for flight hours to 1,500 from 250 hours.

"Regional carriers, who typically hire entry-level job candidates, already have reported difficulties finding sufficient numbers of qualified pilots over the past year," he said. "There’s a general feeling that the airlines are going to have to be more aggressive about recruiting. With all the prior drama, the industry has fallen out of favor with some young people."

As a result, airlines across the country are working harder to attract and retain qualified commercial airline pilots. Efforts range from aggressive recruiting to developing partnerships with schools to provide incentives and clearer career paths for new pilots. Some regional airlines like Florida-based Silver Airways also have offered new first officers signing bonuses or tuition reimbursement to attract more pilots, DiFore said.

"That’s pretty attractive for students, considering becoming a pilot is like financing med school, only more expensive," he said. "Those flight hours don’t come cheap, and they still have to pay for school."

Others, like Hawaii’s own Island Air, are starting recruitment early by reaching out to teens to make sure that some of them consider training to become pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, schedulers, ticketing agents and cleaners.

Cory Kohler, head adviser for Island Air’s explorers, said the carrier assumed responsibility for the post from Aloha Airlines after it shut down in 2008.

"Island Air is proud to provide this educational opportunity to students with an interest in aviation careers," Kohler said. "We’re in our sixth year now. We took this on at a time when we didn’t have a lot of resources and have remained committed to providing for these kids."

Island Air, Mokulele and Hawaiian Airlines are expected to expand to meet Hawaii’s growing tourism needs, said David Uchiyama, vice president of brand management for the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

"Our tourism classes, which cover aviation, are maxed out. Students are very excited about the possibilities," said Heidi Arrington, a lecturer in Kapiolani Community College’s hospitality and tourism department. "We’ve had some recent and good success with them being able to get internships and jobs with Hawaiian, Island Air and Mokulele."

Since 2009 Hawaiian has increased its employee count by 40 percent and expects such growth to continue, said Alison Croyle, Hawaiian Airlines’ director of external communications.

With 920 flights per week connecting the Hawaiian Islands to 53 cities worldwide, Hawaii’s aviation industry offers solid career opportunities for students, said HTAPresident and CEOMike McCartney.

Hawaii’s youth and job training efforts like Island Air’s explorer program have a role to play in strengthening the state’s aviation industry on which tourism depends, he said.

"For Hawaii, air access is the key. We are 2,300 miles away from the nearest land and have only 1.35 million people, but we have over 10.5 million air seats projected for 2014," McCartney said.