The Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary held a Women in Aviation Panel on Sunday afternoon to inspire the next generation of leaders in the city's booming aviation sector. The panel featured five women professionals who shared their experiences and insights during the museum's inaugural Aviation Career Days event.
Addressing Workforce Gaps
The panel, which took place on May 31, 2026, was part of a larger career fair that connected youth and young adults with industry leaders. Exhibitor booths from organizations across the aviation industry were set up, along with panels and speaker sessions featuring industry professionals.
Hirra Mennon, OJT coordinator with De Havilland, highlighted the need for more workers in the coming years as many current employees approach retirement. "In the next 10 to 15 years, there will be a need for more workers as more people begin to retire," Mennon said. "You either have people that have been in the industry for 20 years or you have people that have been there five years, so there's a big gap in between."
Mennon noted that opportunities are emerging with companies like Lufthansa and De Havilland breaking ground on new facilities. "De Havilland just broke ground at Strathmore. They're going to be hiring another 1,500 people for their facilities," she added.
Opportunities in Alberta
Faith Harrison, a ramp agent for Sunwest Aviation, shared that although she started her flight training in British Columbia, everyone she knows in the industry has migrated to Alberta. She is currently training in her company's ground-to-flight program and believes Alberta is the ideal place for newcomers. "There are so many opportunities and companies that you could work for, and there's a lot more of a community that helps you get your foot in the door," Harrison said.
Both Mennon and Harrison agreed that better communication with youth and individuals seeking a career change is essential. While women's participation in aviation has grown, the sector remains male-dominated. Harrison expressed hope that the panel would inspire other women and young girls to join the industry. "I'm just really honored that I'm able to do this and promote this to the younger crowd and also people who are doing that mid-career change that might just need a little boost of confidence," she said.
Growth and Expansion
Dash 8 pilot Chaney Mowat pointed out that Calgary offers diverse opportunities for pilots and workers looking to expand their resumes. Within Alberta, unique roles exist, from wildfire pilots to positions with major airlines like Air Canada and WestJet. As more companies move into the city, Mowat expects significant growth and expansion in the sector.
Georgia Harker, operations coordinator for Sunwest, echoed this sentiment. "Coming from Saskatchewan, I think there's a ton of opportunity," Harker said. "There's definitely a larger job pool, and I know that the Calgary airport has been expanding lately, and they're entering a period of growth to expand jobs."
Jordyn Nickerson, a maintenance engineer and lead hand for Sunwest, emphasized that Calgary's aviation presence will continue to grow as notable events are hosted in the city. "Calgary is expanding with some of the events that have been hosted here in the last few years, like the G7 and some of the other aviation events like CBAA," Nickerson said. "It's putting Alberta and Calgary on the map."
