Porter Airlines is sponsoring a new mentorship programme with The Northern Lights Aero Foundation to attract and retain more women in aviation and aerospace.
The Northern Lights Mentorship Programme is designed to connect aspiring and experienced aviation professionals. Participants will broaden their professional networks, receive practical advice and form a support network to help guide them through their career. Mentors, both male and female, will motivate and inspire women to pursue opportunities in aviation and aerospace while enhancing their leadership and communication skills.
"Women are generally underrepresented in aviation and aerospace. The Northern Lights Mentorship Programme helps break down barriers by connecting women with mentors who know the industry and generally have a passion for what they do and want to share it with other aviation enthusiasts," said Robert Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines. "There are many opportunities within aviation - from being a pilot, to a maintenance engineer or dispatcher - having someone to help navigate the path forward is invaluable."
The Northern Lights Mentorship Programme focuses on three phases of career planning and connects participants with mentors who can best support them:
Considering a career within aviation and aerospace (imagining)
Training and development (training)
Established within the industry (developing)
"It is so important, in the pursuit of bringing in and retaining more women in this industry, to have a tool whereby they can have mentors suited to their needs, whether it is in simply considering a career, the struggles in training or discovering new pathways," said Joy Parker Blackwood, President, Northern Lights Aero Foundation. "The new mentorship programme supports our mission to create career opportunities in aviation and aerospace for Canadian women."
"Throughout the various stages of my professional life, my mentors have helped me in countless ways make informed decisions about my career choices and allowed me to build a network of immeasurable connections. Their advice and willingness to share their personal experiences with me were constant sources of inspiration and support and I feel it is my duty to pay it forward by mentoring others so they too can succeed," said Eva Martinez, Vice President, In-Service Support, PAL Aerospace. "One of the benefits of mentoring is the invaluable relationships that develop over time. These help me become a better person, role model and leader."
Porter's sponsorship of the mentorship programme includes funds and in-kind services for its development and design. The programme launched at the Northern Lights Awards Gala on September 29, an annual event honouring outstanding women in Canadian aviation and aerospace.
Join The Northern Lights Mentorship Programme as a mentor or mentee by visiting the website.
Porter's support of the Northern Lights Aero Foundation stems from its Women Soar at Porter programme, which launched in 2016. The program is led by dedicated Porter volunteers who actively promote opportunities that exist for women in aviation. At Porter, female pilots represent approximately 13% of the total group, versus approximately 5% for the overall industry. Porter has the highest percentage of female pilots in Canada.
.(Images Porter / Northern Lights Aero)
