A non-profit organization wants to get more women involved in the aviation industry.
Elevate Aviation’s cross-country tour recently made stops in Saint John and Moncton.
Founder Kendra Kincade is an air traffic controller and founded the non-profit organization.
Kincade said students in both communities got the chance to hear from women working in the industry.
“One of the things that we’ve learned about why there’s not more women in aviation is the lack of awareness. This cross-country tour really brings awareness to aviation careers,” Kincade said in an interview.
Elevate Aviation, which is based in Edmonton, began offering cross-country tours in 2015.
Officials said this year’s tour will showcase nearly 100 guest speakers in 23 cities across Canada.
“This year, we opened it up to all genders and not just women. We really want to start changing the culture inside aviation,” said Kincade.
“It’s nice not only for the women to see these jobs that are out there but for the young men that come to see women in these jobs as well.”
Women currently make up about 17 per cent of air traffic controllers, five to six per cent of commercial pilots, and three to four per cent of aircraft maintenance engineers in Canada, said Kincade.
“It’s still pretty low and we have a long way to go,” she said.
“When young girls see women as pilots, air traffic controllers, engineers, and mechanics, they then start to picture themselves in that career.”
Kincade, who is originally from Saint John, said it was special for her to bring a piece of what she loves back to the city where she grew up.
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