Winnipeg, Manitoba – The Aboriginal Aerospace Initiative (AAI), a partnership between (CAHRD) Centre for Aboriginal Human Resource Development Inc. and Manitoba Aerospace Human Resource Council (MAHRC), and StandardAero will honour the AAI’s first Aboriginal graduating class at a special event to be held at StandardAero’s CF34 plant, 707 Flight Road, Winnipeg, MB on Friday, June 11th, 2010 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event is to be held in conjunction with Aerospace Week June 7th to June 11th, 2010.
StandardAero is proud to announce that it has hired the first Aboriginal Graduates from the first Gas Turbine Repair and Overhaul program through the Aboriginal Aerospace Initiative. The program is provided through Neeginan Institute of Applied Technology, division of CAHRD.
In 2010, Manitoba is celebrating 100 years of Aeronautics with the first powered flight in Manitoba occurring on July 15th, 1910. Since then, aviators and the aerospace industry have contributed immensely to the many facets of provincial, national and international aviation in every era. Manitoba’s Aerospace community has a long history of manufacturing aircraft and aircraft components, and providing maintenance, repair, overhaul, and specialty services to both commercial and military aircraft operations. Currently with a 5,000 plus workforce, Manitoba’s globally competitive aerospace sector, produces world-class products and services for customers on 6 continents.
The AAI, a formalized partnership with the Aboriginal community, industry, the Province of Manitoba and the Government of Canada, is working to provide all Aboriginal participants with the literacy, essential skills, vocational training and work experience required to work within the aerospace industry. AAI is funded through the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership initiative (ASEP) through Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. The project offers the Aboriginal community the skills they need to find and keep quality jobs within the Aerospace/Manufacturing sector in order to support their families, strengthen their community, and contribute to the local economy.
“CAHRD is looking forward to continuing to work with Manitoba Aerospace Human Resource Council, the Government of Canada, the Province of Manitoba, and the aerospace industry,” said Marileen Bartlett, Executive Director of CAHRD. “One of our partner companies already has close to a 10% Aboriginal workforce, and CAHRD is proud to be a contributing factor in that accomplishment. CAHRD has always been committed to helping our community become self-sufficient and this new program will certainly help our students with obtaining that goal.”
Since 1991, StandardAero has been working with CAHRD and MAHRC to increase the number of Aboriginal employees in its Winnipeg operations, and is one of the founding industry partners of the Aboriginal Aerospace Initiative (AAI). Ian Smart, Senior Vice President, Airlines and Fleets for StandardAero in Winnipeg, will be providing welcoming remarks to the new employees on Friday. “StandardAero is honoured to congratulate the first graduating class from the Gas Turbine Repair and Overhaul program through the Aboriginal Aerospace Initiative,” said Ian Smart. “Our ability to support customers from around the world is dependant on our ability to build a solid workforce at home. This is a great example of one of those partnerships where we’ve collaborated locally in order to continue to add to our talented workforce.”