The aviation industry is facing a pilot shortage – to the point where attracting, recruiting, and educating the next generation has been named a ‘Global Priority’ by an agency of the United Nations. Recent media coverage has highlighted this issue. The University of Waterloo’s aviation programs, founded in 2007, are an excellent pathway to a career in aviation, in partnership with the Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre, offering a Bachelor’s degree and professional pilot credentials. Graduates of Waterloo’s aviation programs are high-achievers who are already making an impact on the aviation industry – in a variety of piloting positions at airlines in Canada and internationally. Notably, last year Waterloo partnered with Sunwing on an innovative ‘Cadet’ program, through which aviation graduates can move directly into a First Officer position on one of the airline’s Boeing 737 aircraft, by receiving an advanced education and completing a customized indoctrination training process at the airline. This type of cadet program, accepting First Officers with approximately 250-hours of flight experience, is an indication of the high-caliber graduates and the program’s efforts to support the Canadian aviation industry with the next generation of aviation professional.
Friday, January 12, 2018