Canadore College Renews Collaboration with the DND
To Deliver the Summer Cadet Aviation Program and Promote Awareness of Aviation Skilled Trades Careers
Canadore College has been awarded a contract to deliver a three-week Aircraft Maintenance training program for Royal Canadian Air Cadets this summer, renewing a valued relationship that has helped introduce young Canadians to careers in skilled-trades relating to aviation for more than a decade.
Beginning July 13, 2026, the program will welcome 20 Air Cadets from across the country to Canadore’s Aviation Campus in North Bay, where participants will receive hands-on training and exposure to the aircraft maintenance industry. As a designated Military Connected College, Canadore is committed to supporting members of the Canadian Armed Forces, veterans, military families, and youth programs that help develop future leaders and skilled professionals.
The program is being delivered in collaboration with the Canadian Cadet Organizations and builds on Canadore’s long history of supporting cadet training programs and aviation education in Northern Ontario.
"We are thrilled to welcome cadets back to Canadore College this summer," said Deidre Bannerman, Dean of the Centre of Academic Excellence and Lifelong Learning. "This program reflects the best of what post-secondary institutions and the Canadian Armed Forces can accomplish together - giving young Canadians meaningful, career-relevant aviation experience in a supportive and inspiring environment."
Throughout the three-week program, cadets will participate in educational and practical learning activities focused on aviation theory, aircraft structures and systems, standard maintenance practices, inspections, servicing procedures, and skilled trades associated with the aviation sector. The program will exposure cadets to career pathways in aviation, including opportunities in technical trades, apprenticeship programs, and related workforce development fields, while providing an aviation experience in a supportive and inspiring environment.
“Canadore’s Aviation Campus is built around experiential learning, and this program gives cadets a firsthand look at what a career in aviation can offer,” said Lianne Girard, Chair, Aviation and Aerospace Technology at Canadore College. “We’re excited to share our facilities, expertise, and passion for the industry with the next generation of aviation professionals.”
The initiative provides cadets with an opportunity to gain technical knowledge and skills while exploring potential career pathways within Canada's growing aviation industry.
“Being selected for this training is an amazing chance to be involved in a new program,” said Flight Sergeant Thomas Graham, an Air Cadet from 299 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron located in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. “I am really excited to get hands-on experience working on aircraft that I can share with the junior cadets at my home unit inside and outside the classroom.”
Canadore College's Aviation Campus is home to one of Canada's leading aviation training centres, offering programs in aircraft maintenance, avionics, aviation technology, and related fields.
