On Nov. 23, Fanshawe College hosted an event at its Aviation Centre, welcoming girls aged five to 14 to learn about aviation careers. Organized in collaboration with Ninety-Nines Canada (Canadian 99s) and Women in Aviation International (WAI), the event aimed to introduce young girls to the exciting possibilities within aviation.

Following the success of its first edition, this year's event was both more significant and more ambitious.

'We've done it once, so we already know what to expect. It's well-organized, and all of our volunteers are amazing,' said Program Coordinator for Flight Services at Fanshawe's Norton Wolf School of Aviation and Aerospace Technology Haley Whitelaw. 'We have over 25 volunteers helping us. Without them, we couldn't do it.'

The day featured a combination of new and returning activities.

'We repeated last year's navigation, aircraft marshalling, and preflight walkaround checks,' Whitelaw explained. ' But this year, we added more for aircraft maintenance and structures. We have a click-goes activity and a riveting activity. So, we've expanded to cover more jobs in aviation.'

The event also saw a significant increase in participation.

'Last year, we had 40 to 50 students; this year, we're just over 60,' Whitelaw said. 'We could take on 80 to 100 next time.'

The volunteers, many of whom were Fanshawe students, were crucial to the event's success.

'This is their first time volunteering for some of them, and they're enjoying it,' Whitelaw added.

A flight instructor from Windsor, Michelle Gagnon, stressed the importance of representation in aviation.

'These events expose young girls to the aviation industry, which isn't often presented as an option for them,' Gagnon said. 'When I was younger, events like this didn't exist. These workshops let young girls see women doing these jobs, helping them imagine themselves in these roles.'

The event also introduced new activities designed to give participants a hands-on understanding of aviation.

'They created model airplanes to take home and watched planes taxiing on the runway,' Gagnon added. 'It's about creating memories and sparking interest in aviation.'

Fanshawe aviation student and first-time volunteer Olivia Free echoed this sentiment, remarking on the impact of the day.

'Seeing the excitement on the girls' faces was inspiring,' she said. 'It reminded me of why I chose aviation.'

Despite her enthusiasm, Free recognizes that women remain underrepresented in aviation. Out of the 30 students in her class, only three are women. However, Free is undeterred.

“I can’t be intimidated by the men in this field,” she said with a determined smile. “I’ve got to be better than that.”

Through her volunteer work and pursuit of a pilot’s license, she hopes to show other young girls that the aviation industry is not just a dream but a destination within their reach.

“Being thrown right into it has been the best way to learn,” Free said. “And I’m ready to prove that I belong here.”

The idea for this workshop originated at Airshow London in September 2023 when Whitelaw met Michelle Gagnon from Ninety-Nines Canada. Both shared a vision of creating an engaging opportunity to inspire young girls to consider aviation a career path.