News
Aviation opportunities abound for youngsters

April 8, 2013, Toronto – The much anticipated pilot and aircraft
mechanics shortage is here, opening career opportunities for a wide
array of young Canadians. That was the take-away message received by
over 160 attendees at the first Careers in Aviation Expo held this past
Saturday near Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. In turn, they were told that passion, commitment, teamwork and a strong work ethic are the key ingredients they need to secure their future in this exciting industry.

Based on the annual Careers in Aviation guide and website, the Expo was organized by Wings and Helicopters magazines. The event featured four panel discussions investigating career paths for pilots, aircraft mechanics and engineers/aerospace, aviation and aerospace schools, and business management/sales/navigation. Over 100 potential candidates joined 60 industry experts and educators for the full-day event.

Attendees also had the opportunity to visit the nearby FlightSafety International Simulator Training Centre and try their hands on a flight simulator, resulting in four fully booked tours of 20 students. They also had the chance to tour the over 20 exhibits to get more details on the opportunities and costs of preparing for a career in aviation.

“The number, quality and focus of participants exceeded our expectations,” says Wings and Helicopters group publisher Scott Jamieson. “The industry panelists were very open and honest in sharing their experiences and in discussing career prospects in Canada’s aviation and aerospace sectors. The delegates I spoke with appreciated the insights they were getting.”

Nicole Saulnier, chief pilot and owner with her husband Keith of Georgian Bay Airways Ltd., was the keynote speaker, and treated delegates to a glimpse at the remote float plane experience, a truly Canadian aviation heritage. 

“We knew the industry’s need to get the next generation involved in aviation and aerospace,” Jamieson explains. ”That was the reason behind the guides in the first place, and now this event, as well as our Top 10 Under 40 contest. The enthusiastic crowd, all of whom paid to attend, tells us there is an appetite for these in-depth, targeted expos.”

The event was sponsored by Air Georgian, Great Lakes Helicopters, Ottawa Aviation Services, SmartPilot.ca, and Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre.

Wings and Helicopters staff will survey attendees and exhibitors in the week following the event to fine tune future Careers in Aviation Expos. Contact Alison DeGroot for more information at adegroot@annexweb.com.