2005 CCHS Alum Jared Shaker Takes Flight

By Gabbie Norton

February 12, 2024

Nearly two decades ago, class of 2005 graduate Jared Shaker conducted an interview in Mr. Kachadurian’s journalism class that paved the way for his future. His interview, with a commercial airline pilot, inspired Shaker to take flight into his own career, from a Marine Corps pilot, to an air controller, and ultimately, to his current job as a T-45C instructor pilot, teaching the next generation of naval aviators. 

Having been stationed in a number of southern states, as well as countries throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, Shaker's career has taken him to places far from the hallways of Colonie Central High School. However, the lessons and skills Shaker learned at South Colonie truly helped guide him for future success. 

Successfully balancing schoolwork, sports, extracurricular activities, and part-time employment in high school helped Shaker learn the valuable skills of time management, perseverance and discipline.

Shaker’s favorite class was history, but he says math and science classes were fundamental in equipping him with the necessary foundation for his future career. 

Shaker was a scholar athlete at Colonie, playing varsity soccer and lacrosse in high school.

“The physical endurance and persistence that I attained while participating in sports definitely helped me through the rigorous physical challenges of Marine Corps training. Additionally, the concepts of teamwork and leadership by example applied well to my future career,” he says.

Shaker chose to join the United States Marine Corps upon high school graduation, as he wanted to challenge himself, travel the world and serve our country. As a Marine Corps F/A-18 pilot and Forward Air Controller, living all over the world and being a part of many military and diplomatic operations abroad, Shakers' job came with great challenges and excitement. His military path eventually led to his service as a T-45C Instructor Pilot. 

Today, Shaker guides Navy, Marine Corps, and select Foreign National Officers throughout their advanced jet flight training syllabus.  Shaker plays a key role in helping the flight students successfully complete their training so they can go on to fly F-35 and F/A-18 aircrafts. 

Shaker notes that  Navy and Marine Corps student pilots are already very intelligent, and of excellent moral character, so his primary responsibility is to teach students how to remain calm under chaos and methodically achieve mission success. Shaker believes that the most important aspect of flight training is for students to learn how to prioritize multiple time-critical tasks and analyze complex problems.  

Shaker says that the best part of his job “is having the opportunity to mentor some of the best young talent that our nation produces. Every flight student is intelligent, motivated, and hard-working. The responsibility of bringing my best effort to work everyday and then seeing the finished product when a Naval Aviator finally earns their wings is extremely rewarding.”  

Once a student in flight school himself, Shaker knows firsthand the challenges and struggles that come with learning how to fly jet airplanes. Noting that the biggest fear that all flight students share is the fear of failure. 

“Flight school was the first challenge that I ever encountered in life where I could dedicate my full effort and still come up short.  I overcame this fear by experiencing it many times through unsatisfactory flight events and then by persisting through my struggles.The training was very humbling and taught me to learn from my mistakes and maintain confidence in myself despite shortcomings in performance,” he says. 

Shaker provides an excellent life lesson for current Colonie students in stating, “The experience of failure has been my greatest teacher.”