THUNDER BAY – EDUCATION – Confederation College will host Aviation Day on Monday March 6, 2023, at the Aviation Centre of Excellence (ACE). The event will be open to the public from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. There is no cost to attend, and no registration is required.
Fourteen employers; Westjet, Jazz Aviation LP, Wasaya Airways, Thunder Bay Aviation Ltd, Superior Airways Ltd, Royal Canadian Air Force, Flying Colours Corp, North Star Air, IMP Group Ltd., Perimeter Aviation, Air Tindi, Air Bravo Corp, Northwestern Ontario Aviation Heritage Centre, and Snap On Industrial will be on hand to meet with students and graduates from the college’s Flight Management and Aircraft Maintenance programs, as well as prospective students and job seekers. Employers are looking to hire graduates of the two programs, as well as for positions such as dock hands, ramp staff, flight attendants, and customer service agents.
“It’s a terrific opportunity for job seekers and employers within the aviation sector to connect, and a chance for our graduating students to see just how many opportunities there are out there,” says Matt Bunn, Associate Dean of the college’s School of Aviation. “There are more job vacancies than there are graduates right now.”
The staffing shortages in Canada’s aviation sector are well documented. A report by the Canadian Council for Aviation and Aerospace found in 2018 that the industry will need 7300 new pilots by 2025. Since the pandemic, those numbers have grown. The council also found a shortage of 5300 aircraft maintenance engineers, and a further need for thousands of aviation technicians.
The college’s two-year Aviation Technician – Aircraft Maintenance Co-op diploma program prepares students for the Transport Canada Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) license. Graduates meeting attendance and academic minimums, receive up to 21 months credit (almost half) of their apprenticeship time toward their Aircraft Maintenance Engineer’s Category M license requirements.
The consecutive 21-month Aviation-Flight Management program will have students in the air during their first semester of school. Graduates will receive preparation for both a private and commercial pilot license, including training with the school’s fleet of 13 aircraft, advanced simulators, and ground school.
As a bonus display, the Air Force will have a CH 147 Chinook Helicopter on site. The Aviation Centre of Excellence is located at 2003 Derek Burney Drive, at Thunder Bay Airport.
