All-girl aviation summer camp

Shawna O'Neill, TC Media
All-girl aviation summer camp
From left-to-right Karina Verma

CORNWALL, Ontario – Nav Canada hosted 30 girls from across the country this week at the Explore Aviation Summer Camp, where girls going into grade 10 got to learn about careers in aviation. 

“This is the first time we put this together,” said Lyne Wilson, Assistant Vice President of Talent Management with Nav Canada. “I think it went extremely well, and I would say that the girls would say the same thing, and the instructors. The girls learned a lot throughout the week and it was even better than we expected.”

The girls, who came from all 10 provinces and two territories, learned about air traffic control, flight service specialists, technical operations, engineering and cybersecurity. They went into the aviation simulator and built a box that can track aircrafts. The girls also took day trips to Ottawa and Montreal.

Candidates were required to submit an essay, letter of recommendation and application form before they could be selected.

“(It’s) to promote aviation as a career for women,” said Wilson. “Women don’t necessarily think about aviation as a career and there’s a lot of opportunities for them to follow.”

According to Let’s Talk Science, a Canadian charity dedicated to education and outreach, 70 per cent of Canada’s top jobs require a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.

Psalm Clunies-Ross, who came from Haines Junction, Yukon has already started looking at schools she can attend to become a pilot. She knows this is the path she wants to follow.

“I thought this program was really cool,” said Clunies-Ross. “I didn’t know what to expect because I’m from a small town, so I didn’t really know what would happen. I really enjoyed all the tours and things. They give you a little bit about each job.”

“They had a fun time and they bonded so well,” said Kendra Kincade, Founder and President of Elevate Aviation in Edmonton. “I think a lot of them are going to leave here not only knowing about aviation but empowered to do whatever they want. And friendships that will last a lifetime. “

Share this article