Canadore College Partners with Ornge to Elevate Hands-On Aviation Training for Students

Canadore College continues to lead in experiential learning by expanding real-world training opportunities for its students. Through a new partnership with Ornge—Ontario’s provider of air ambulance and critical care transport services—students will experience hands-on learning experiences through a short-term placement program that will further enhance their training and career readiness.

“This placement allows our aircraft maintenance students to participate in the maintenance of aircraft in a real-world scenario for a full week,” said Brett Chadwick, Professor/Coordinator, School of Aviation and Aerospace Technology. “Students come to Canadore and are excited about the chance to work on aircraft in our hangar, but putting their skills into practice and working with licensed aircraft maintenance engineers on aircraft that fly every day is a challenge that really gets their adrenaline flowing.”

This year, four Canadore students will spend their March Break working at Ornge bases in Ottawa, London, Sudbury, and Toronto Island.

James Korczak, a second-year student in the Aircraft Maintenance and Avionics program, will be at the Sudbury base. “I'm looking forward to experiencing day-to-day life at an AMO (Approved Maintenance Organization) and working on their advanced equipment,” said Korczak. “I hope to learn more about what a normal day for an AME (Aircraft Maintenance Engineer) is like and hopefully get some useful tips from experienced AMEs.”

A graduate of Canadore College Aviation, Barry Hesketh, Chief Rotor Wing Engineer at Ornge, got the ball rolling to make this placement opportunity happen. This is the second year the March Break placement has been offered.

“This collaboration is an opportunity to give back,” says Hesketh. “Many of our current AMEs are Canadore graduates who were given the same opportunity prior to graduation. It also gives students a small taste of Ornge and what we have to offer as an employer. It is important for students to see the industry outside of an educational environment and receive hands-on experiences on more advanced aircraft and systems.”

Throughout the week, students will be able to complete tasks in their AME logbooks, which are some of the first steps to obtaining an AME license.

While this placement opportunity lasts only for the March Break week, Ornge does hire Canadore Aviation graduates.

“Canadore College continues to produce some of the most capable and well‑prepared graduates entering the aviation workforce today,” says Peter Cunnington, Chief Aviation Officer at Ornge. “Many of Ornge’s Aircraft Maintenance Engineers began their careers in Canadore’s classrooms, and their professionalism, technical skill, and commitment to safety speak volumes about the quality of the program.”

“I definitely have some interest in working at Ornge in the future due to the meaningful work they do,” Korczak said. “I think this week will be good to get a feeling for whether it's a good fit for me. I think that gaining experience working on and learning about the PC-12 and the AW139 will be useful going forward, as well as meeting people in the industry who have insight regarding different opportunities and things to look for when deciding where to work in the future.”

Another 11 Aviation students will participate in the March Break work week with other employers across the region.