Her Story
About Sofia
I did not initially pursue aviation in college; I attended Occidental College, where I majored in Diplomacy and World Affairs with plans to enter the government sector. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted those plans, limiting job opportunities and delaying graduate studies. After graduating from Occidental, I pivoted and began flight training in 2021 through independent flight schools.
I progressed through my Private Pilot Certificate, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot Certificate, and ultimately earned my Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and Certified Flight Instructor-Instrument (CFII) credentials. For the past two years, I have been instructing and helping others learn to fly, gaining valuable experience while refining my own skills. I am currently building flight time toward the 1,500-hour requirement for airline eligibility, as becoming an airline pilot is my long-term career goal. While aviation is demanding, it is equally rewarding and continues to fuel my passion for the field.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sofia
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a combination of strong family support, a consistently positive attitude toward my work, and an ongoing sense of curiosity. I make it a priority to ask questions and continuously learn, which has helped me grow and adapt throughout my journey. I've also been fortunate to be able to work with some really talented individuals who have provided excellent training, mentorship, and professional guidance.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to focus on the process and enjoy what it is that you're doing in the moment, and don't necessarily focus on the outcome. If you get too fixated on the end goal, you might lose sight of what's in front of you.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Buckle up! Believe in yourself. Women are really underrepresented in aviation, and that's not to say that that's the way that it should be, but I think women are still facing a bit of an uphill battle in that respect. To be in this for the long haul, they need to be able to have validation come from themselves. They can't rely on external validation. They have to have some sort of internal generative drive and self-belief, self-motivation. It's going to be challenging, but if they really, really want to do this, the sky's the limit. They should not hesitate for a moment.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The job market is always going to be a challenge, because it's a very cyclical industry. Sometimes people get lucky in the sense that they're able to finish their training and slide immediately into a job, just because that's what was needed at that moment in time, and others have to wait months, if not years. And that's not to say that they're not qualified. So, the instability is probably one of the biggest challenges. There's also the challenge of diversity and representation, but that is slowly changing, where people from different demographic backgrounds are slowly joining the ranks and becoming pilots, air traffic controllers, and other professionals in the industry. As for opportunities, it's hard to say specifically, because aviation has so many opportunities. I feel like people, when they think of aviation, all they think of pilots and ATC, but there's so much more to it than that. There's the general aviation side, there's the business side, there's the educational side. If you have a particular skill set, there's a place for you. I think it's a place for everyone.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Family, trust, health, courage, and honesty are most important to me.
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