Canadore meets FMA

Hello all, hope everyone is having a great summer! Before I get started about my summer at Canadore collage as a staff cadet, I would like to apologize for disappearing for the last month. As mentioned in the previous post, my 2019 summer is being spent at Canadore collage in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. Along with fifteen other staff cadets from across Canada, I have been selected to staff at the two cadet summer training courses that take place at Canadore Collage every year, which are Airport Operations and Aircraft Maintenance. As these two courses are scholarship courses, there are only 60 cadets selected for each course. The best part about this course is that these cadets are from coast to coast to coast. They all bring their own unique talents and experiences.

Being staff cadet here means that I get to work closely with the cadets and help them start their journey in aviation. Two years ago I was in their shoes and was given the opportunity to attend Airport Operations, where I learned about what happens behind the scenes at an airport. This camp was my closest experience with anything to do with aviation. Canadore Collage was where I was able to plant a seed and start my career in aviation.

The first week consisted of training to be the best staff cadet possible. We learned about how to deal with irregular situations and how to handle multiple problems at once. Our ranks for the summer were determined from how well we did during this course. As a result of my hard work I was appointed as the Training Warrant Officer of the Canadore Summer Training Centre. This rank/position is the second highest position that a staff cadet can receive.

This year, my main goal was to show these cadets that when involved in aviation, aviation is not the only common interest between each other and that should not be the only thing that connects each other. As to my assumptions, many cadets have connected on many different levels. For example, there are many that became friends through the national band that is offered here. Through this opportunity, they are able to understand that, though they are all here for aviation, they all have other common hobbies that they use to relax and get away when they have a hard day.

These cadets are as much of an inspiration for me, as I was for them when I had a chance to share my journey through aviation with them. I explained to them about how giving up is not an aviation when it has something to do with aviation. I knew I made a difference when cadets approached me about wanting to be a part of the FMA program.

Overall, these past seven weeks have been a long roller coaster of extreme highs and deep lows. I learned so much about aviation but also attained many leadership skills that I did not know about.

As the camp is coming to an end, I can see what it means to be a role model for youth as well as learn from them.

A few things I am looking forward to after this camp is my cruise to Alaska as well as getting back to flying and going back to my routine of flying five days a week. Though it might take a flight or two to remember everything, I am extremely excited to get back into my daily routine.

Finally, I am happy that I will be leaving this course knowing that I have made a difference in at-least one person’s life and have inspired a few.