Saint Andrew’s Student Takes Off with Aviation Internship at Planestocks

This summer, Saint Andrew’s School’s Emmanuel Bravo ’28 took flight, professionally that is, through an internship with Deerfield Beach-based aviation parts distributor, Planestocks. The experience gave Bravo hands-on exposure to the aviation industry and brought him closer to discovering his purpose.

Planestocks is a fast-growing, family-owned company that buys and sells aircraft parts to major domestic airlines, including Delta, United, JetBlue, and American. The company’s internship program was designed to introduce high school students with entrepreneurial ambition or an interest in aviation to the industry's inner workings.

Emmanuel, called “Bravo” in the office, became an intern at Planestocks after reaching out directly to Jeb Thomas, the Managing Director, introducing himself and his interests.

Since then, Emmanuel has worked on two different projects that have had a real impact on the company. His first project was to develop a time-tracking application to log hours and work progress. The second project involved building a block list management system, software used by the sales team to identify companies Planestocks does not sell to, and to easily access related contacts and assignments.

Emmanuel’s enthusiasm for aviation runs deep. “I’ve been interested in aviation since a very young age,” he said. “It’s mostly been just the fascination of, ‘whoa, how does that thing fly?’ and this was a perfect opportunity, it felt like, for me.”

Thomas was equally impressed with Emmanuel’s passion and professionalism.

“His initial outreach to me referenced companies that nobody his age should probably have any recollection of,” Thomas said with a smile. “But he’s genuinely interested in aviation, which certainly helps in his capacity at Planestocks. He’s on top of all of his work. He’s very diligent, detail-oriented, and has a genuine curiosity about our business.”

Beyond software development, Emmanuel is gaining exposure to every aspect of Planestocks’ operations, from inventory and project management to client engagement and field visits. During a visit to the Boca Raton Airport to meet with Reliable Jet, an MRO (maintenance and repair organization), he saw the critical role aviation maintenance technicians play firsthand.

“The biggest problem right now in the aviation industry is looking for maintenance techs,” Emmanuel said. “That could be a position that I could put myself in where it’s super advantageous for me and I would have a job throughout my life.”

For Emmanuel, the internship has been more than just professional development; it’s been personal growth, too.

“I definitely think my experiences through Saint Andrew’s, through being an actor, student, an athlete, an intern, someone who's working a job, and like truly figuring out what it feels like to be in a world like this, it's helping me develop that purpose.”

Thomas sees internships like Bravo’s as mutually beneficial and encourages other businesses to consider similar programs.

“I think that Saint Andrew’s has done a tremendous job,” Thomas said. “Obviously, Emmanuel Bravo is an incredible person, but really, the school has helped morph him into where he is today, to a point where he is attractive to a company.”

The connection between Planestocks and Saint Andrew’s School came from Thomas’s desire to get more involved in the Boca Raton community. As a new member of the Boca Chamber of Commerce, he was fascinated by the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA) program, which is run by the Boca Chamber of Commerce and hosted by Saint Andrew’s School.

“These students are incredible,” Thomas said. “With today’s technologies, it’s making kids even smarter, work harder, and accelerate their capabilities. I really encourage other companies to consider summer internships in high school. There’s a lot you won’t learn in school that you can learn just by sitting with a company for even a week.”

Emmanuel’s experience at Planestocks is a great example of what the power of early career exploration and mentorship can do.

“The internship is preparing me for my future in getting real-world business experience,” Bravo said. “It’s giving me a very unique perspective on what business actually looks like… and incredible insights into the aviation industry.”

Emmanuel’s summer internship at Planestocks is just the beginning of what looks to be a high-flying journey ahead.

 

Click here to watch a video about Emmanuel's summer internship at Planestocks.