Video of the week – CAE’s Women in Flight scholarship programme encourages exceptional women to become professional pilots

Training specialists CAE last year revealed it will invest around USD1 million a year in its Women in Flight scholarship programme, demonstrating its own commitment to promoting the advancement of women in the aviation industry. This will see it award up to five full scholarships for female pilots to one of CAE's cadet pilot training programmes across its global training network. The first three of these scholarships were revealed at the recent Paris Air Show and the final two will be announced later this year.

The scheme hopes to encourage "passionate and exceptional women" to accomplish their goal of becoming professional pilots. Alongside covering their training costs the global leader in training for the civil aviation, defence and security, and healthcare markets, will also provide selected candidates with access to their first job through its global partners.

CAE's Group president, civil aviation training solutions, Nick Leontidis, explained that the objective of the programme is also to elevate the selected candidates to become aviation role models help drive awareness and promote the pilot profession among women, as well as diversity in aviation and inspire even more women to join the pilot profession.

"We look forward to accompanying our new ambassadors, from their early days in training to the beginning of their journey as professional pilots with our airline partners," says Mr Leontidis. "This ground-breaking scholarship program is a catalyst for more diversity in the cockpit."

Over the next decade, CAE expects the civil aviation industry to need over 300,000 new pilots. With women currently representing less than 5% of pilots, CAE is taking a proactive approach to promote a better gender balance and tap into a wider pool of talent.

Its initial scholars were named as Georgina Thomas-Watson, winner of the Generation easyJet pilot training programme; Daniella Saucedo Orozco, winner of the Aeromexico cadet programme; and Bisma Petafi, winner of the CityJet Climb High mentored cadet programme. The CAE Women in Flight scholarship recipients for the Air Asia cadet pilot programme and the American Airlines cadet academy will be announced later this year.

HEAR MORE… CAE's Group president, civil aviation training solutions, Nick Leontidis provides more details on the Women in Flight scholarship programme and pilot training trends in an exclusive CAPA TV interview recorded at the Paris Air Show in Jun-2019.