More than 100 people from all parts of our A&D workforce constituency were active participants in Flight 100. They were joined for much of the Forum by as many as 100 Aviation Institute and High Schools. Students. Their consensus is that this is the best of the series which began in 2003.

This year’s event was held in the NSCC Aviation Institute’s new home in Dartmouth. The College took the opportunity of opening this new home with an official ribbon cutting, and test drive by the Premier of Nova Scotia of a recently donated Cockpit Trainer – the gift of Bombardier Aerospace Inc of Montreal. Shown here are David Jurkowski VP Bombardier Aerospace, Premier MacDonald, NSCC President Dr. Joan McArthur-Blair.
 

The Flight 100 program began with the Premier’s opening remarks, followed by the Keynote industry speaker, Mr David Jurkowski, Vice President of Bombardier Aerospace, followed by speakers discussing Labour and Workforce Development and Economic and Rural Development policy frameworks at several levels of government. Other sessions involved active debate on Diversity issues, a discussion of initiatives being conducted in other provinces and regions. Dr Michael Bloom, Vice President of the Conference Board of Canada gave us a review and look ahead at economic factors affecting Human Capital in our industry sector. A full report will be available on our website shortly, but in the meantime here are some of the highlights.

·         The Three Presidents panel discussing the relevance of re-evaluating the centuries old models for learning in a session titled “Tinkering or Transforming”. The discussion was lead by three speakers, Dr. Joan McArthur -Blair, President of NSCC, Ray Ivany, President of Acadia University, and Dr. Colin Dodds, President of Saint Mary’s University and also President of the Atlantic University Presidents Council. Provocative and innovative ideas were introduced and discussed by speakers and discussants from the floor including some from the many NSCC Aviation Maintenance Engineering students participating. Many felt it important that this discussion continue with a view to developing a new paradigm in which industry would play a more significant part, and outcomes of learning structures assume more relevance.

·         The final session, “Priorities for Tomorrow” was lead by Dr Bloom, Hal Davies, Forum organizer, and Jim King President of the HRP. The continuing issue of “Awareness”, of the industry sector and its future, the opportunities for great careers, and the rewards of a challenging career path featured in this discussion.  Also of significance was the feeling that “experiential learning” at the secondary education level and the collaboration with industry could go a long way to informing students about possible career paths and provide industry with a better means of “putting their money where their mouth is!” A number of other priority issues were ventilated and will be published in the final report.

·         A strong recommendation that we not wait three years before holding the next WSC Forum.

You can download the full Report of the Proceedings of Flight 100. Click here.

We thank our sponsors whose logos are shown below. Without their support, the Forum would not have happened.