Faculty of Science

More than 1,000 girls from across the region landed at London International Airport on June 2 to learn about careers in the aviation industry, discovering the sky’s not the limit, but a runway to opportunities. The third annual Girls in Aviation Day (GIAD), organized by the Great Lakes Aviators Canada Chapter of Women in Aviation International and London International Airport, drew participants from five different school boards. Student volunteers from Western helped introduce young women to the possibilities open to them in the field, providing unique experiential learning opportunities and emphasizing the university’s commitment to building skills for success outside the classroom. Jackie Book, director of Western’s Commercial Aviation Management (CAM) program and president of Great Lakes Aviators Canada, said the event introduces girls in Grades 6 to 8 to potential future career paths. “We know this age group is really open to thinking and learning about the various careers in aviation,” Book said. “Through hands-on activities where they engage at interactive stations led by female professionals and students in the field, we want them to explore all the exciting aspects available to them.”  

Inspiring the next generation of female aviation professionals

Book herself is an inspiring role model for young girls interested in aviation leadership. A graduate of the inaugural cohort of Western’s CAM program, she first served as an instructor pilot at the university before becoming a Royal Canadian Air Force instructor pilot, a C-130 Hercules tactical airlift pilot and course director for the RCAF Multi-Engine School. A current pilot for WestJet, she has also flown globally for the International Security Assistance Force, NATO and the Canadian military, including three deployments to Afghanistan and 13 repatriations of Canadian fallen soldiers from Kandahar, Afghanistan. Training and encouraging the next generation of women pilots is a passion for Book, who notes only seven per cent of the airline pilots in North America are female. As one of 11 international ambassadors for Women in Aviation International, she’s hopeful events like GIAD will bring better balance to the industry – and help young girls consider a variety of career paths in the field. “We often think about pilots, engineers or air traffic controllers, but there are so many more opportunities in aviation, including law and medicine, corporate, military or civil aviation and aerospace,” she said. London International Airport CEO Scott McFadzean, who graduated alongside Book in Western’s first CAM cohort, said the airport is eager to help female students explore their options. “Knowing women are underrepresented in the aviation sector, we’re pleased to be part of the work to help change that, reaching girls right at the age when they are learning about flight in their school curriculum,” McFadzean said.

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Promoting Western’s strengths in aviation, aerospace, engineering

One third of the students in Western’s CAM program are female, including Ella Archer, a third-year aviation student and one of many volunteers at the London GIAD event. “It’s very cool to be part of an event where young girls can see there are women who are pilots or working in the industry,” said Archer, who is weeks away from earning her pilot’s licence through MFC Training, Western’s flight training partner. “I’ve wanted to be a pilot since elementary school but never had opportunities to come and explore on a day like this.” Archer gave Grade 8 students Katelin Mendham and Loretta Wernham from Huron Centennial Public School in Brucefield, Ont., a tour of the cockpit of the private jet of Western graduate Aubrey Dan, donor and namesake of the Dan Department of Management and Organizational Studies in the Faculty of Social Science, which houses the CAM program. “It’s nice to have the opportunity to meet all these people, to do the activities and learn about future careers,” Mendham said. Other Western students volunteered at booths representing Western Engineering, the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, the CAM program and student clubs, including Western Aero Design and Western Aviatrix.

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Western partners with The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award program

During the GIAD event, Western was recognized as the first university in Canada to be designated an Education Operating Partner of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Canada, a globally recognized youth development framework focused on building skills and networks that foster resilience, leadership and community engagement. The acknowledgment came the same day the Ontario government announced a $4-million investment, partnering with the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Canada and The King’s Trust Canada, to give more high school students – including those pursuing Specialist High Skills Majors like aviation – access to practical learning outside the classroom that helps them develop important job and leadership skills. Western’s collaboration with the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award makes it the only Canadian university that will enable students to continue through the program, incorporating the framework through a co-curricular approach that reflects the university’s commitment to experiential education, mentorship and personalized student experiences. Western provost and vice-president (academic) Florentine Strzelczyk said the university is proud to be named an Education Operating Partner. “Learners today are seeking experiences that complement their academic learning and help them develop as leaders, professionals and engaged citizens,” said Strzelczyk. “Through this partnership, Western is creating additional opportunities for students to build skills, gain real-world experience and pursue personal growth alongside their academic studies.” Laura Briscoe, senior director of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award-Canada and vice-president of the Great Lakes Aviators Canada Chapter of Women in Aviation International, said she was thankful for Western’s innovation and collaboration. “Integrating the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award-Canada into Western’s aviation and co-curricular programming gives students a powerful way to demonstrate their growth as leaders, professionals and community members,” she said. “It complements academic learning while opening new pathways for student development.” Through the program, aviation students will design and complete meaningful activities that complement CAM or flight training, going beyond required coursework. Examples include:

• Skills development linked to leadership, communication, technical or professional competencies
• Community service connected to aviation, education, equity or local needs
• Physical recreation tied to wellbeing and resilience
• Experiential group challenges that develop teamwork, planning and problem-solving

Book said the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award program’s emphasis on leadership, teamwork, resilience and community engagement aligns well with values prized by the aviation industry. “By embedding these competencies into the university experience, Western is supporting students, giving them the skills that matter for future success,” she said. Learn more about how Western is preparing future leaders and global citizens.