Introduction

The Aviation Career Exploration (ACE) program by Elevate Aviation is a dynamic, week-long initiative designed to introduce youth ages 11–18 to the vast world of aviation. Offered in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver from October to June, with additional summer camps offered in July and August, ACE provides students with an immersive, behind-the-scenes look at the industry through interactive presentations, hands-on activities, and on-site visits to aviation facilities.

In Edmonton, the program is based out of the Elevate Aviation Learning Centre at the

Edmonton International Airport. Students explore careers such as Pilot, Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, Flight Attendant, Air Traffic Controller, and more. The week includes exciting experiences like flight simulators, airside safety demonstrations, and visits with the RCMP K9 Unit and airport fire services.

In Calgary, participants explore the aviation ecosystem through visits to post-secondary institutions like Mount Royal University and SAIT, as well as industry partners including WestJet and Delphi Technologies. Activities include aircraft maintenance tours, pilot training simulations, and hangar visits, all designed to offer a hands-on introduction to aviation through a design-thinking approach.

In Vancouver, the focus is on sustainable aviation and will launch with likeminded partners October 2025.

ACE introduces students to aviation careers, sparks passion, builds awareness, and encourages youth to consider their future place in this dynamic and essential industry.

Purpose of the program / objectives

The purpose of the ACE program is to ignite curiosity, build awareness, and encourage youth to explore career opportunities in aviation, a field that is often misunderstood or seen as inaccessible. By showcasing the wide range of roles available, ACE helps youth envision themselves in exciting and meaningful careers they may not have considered before.

The program aims to:

Expose students to diverse aviation careers through real-life experiences, industry site visits, and presentations from professionals.
Bridge the gap between education and employment by helping youth understand the pathways required for different roles, including training, certifications, and post-secondary programs.
Promote equity and inclusion by offering access to students from various backgrounds and encouraging young girls and underrepresented groups to consider aviation as a viable career path.
Foster essential soft skills such as teamwork, communication, and critical thinking through collaborative and hands-on learning experiences.

Ultimately, ACE is designed to be a transformational experience that opens minds, broadens horizons, and lays the foundation for future workforce development in the Canadian aviation sector.

Intended audience

The ACE program is designed for youth ages 11 to 18 who are curious about aviation or exploring potential career paths. It’s ideal for students who enjoy hands-on learning, have an interest in technology or travel, or are simply eager to discover something new outside of the traditional classroom.

Whether participants already have an interest in aviation or are being introduced to it for the first time, ACE provides a welcoming and engaging environment for all. The program is well-suited for educators, youth group leaders, or parents looking to provide students with unique exposure to career possibilities in a real-world setting.

Description / how it was implemented

The ACE program was developed by Elevate Aviation as a response to the growing demand for early career awareness in aviation. With many youth unaware of the variety of jobs available in the industry or unsure how to access them, ACE was designed as a learning program that brings students directly into aviation spaces, guided by professionals who live and breathe the work every day.

Rather than relying on classroom-based instruction, ACE takes place onsite at airports and aviation facilities in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver, allowing youth to engage with their environment, meet people in the field, and ask questions. The implementation process focused on building strong partnerships with aviation organizations, government agencies, and post-secondary institutions, all of whom share the goal of creating pathways into the industry for the next generation.

Program Delivery & Structure

ACE is delivered in one-week sessions during the academic year (October to June). Additionally, ACE summer camps are available from July through August! The program typically involves a series of half-day sessions, each focusing on a different aspect of the aviation ecosystem. Sessions take place at various locations throughout the host city, often requiring transportation between sites. Students may explore everything from flight operations, air traffic control, safety and security, airport logistics, and aircraft maintenance.

Each day is intentionally crafted to offer variety, both in content and in delivery style. Students might engage in hands-on technical activities in the morning and shift to interactive presentations or facility tours in the afternoon. The aim is to expose participants to the full breadth of aviation careers, not only the more visible roles like pilots and flight attendants.

To maintain flexibility and responsiveness to partner availability, the schedule is adaptive, and activities may vary between sessions. While there are examples of what a typical week in Edmonton, Calgary or Vancouver may include, the exact schedule is customized based on the location, season, partner capacity, and group needs.

Implementation Highlights

1. Partnership-Driven Model

The success of ACE hinges on Elevate Aviation’s partnerships with local aviation organizations and educational institutions. Partners contribute by:

Hosting students on-site
Providing access to specialized equipment or simulators
Delivering talks, demonstrations, or Q&A sessions
Sharing real-world insight into aviation roles and career paths

By grounding learning in real workplaces, students gain a genuine understanding of what the day-to-day looks like in each role.

2. Logistics & Operations

Program delivery requires careful coordination. Staff from Elevate Aviation work months in advance to organize:

Site permissions and safety protocols (especially for airside or high-security areas)
Transportation between program locations
Daily supervision and youth support
Age-appropriate activities that meet school board expectations

All activities are run with a focus on safety, inclusivity, and accessibility. Elevate Aviation collaborates closely with schools and families to ensure participation is smooth and welcoming for all.

3. Youth Engagement Approach

ACE is designed with an active learning model. Students are encouraged to ask questions and reflect on what interests them most. The program values:

● Hands-on learning ● Curiosity and exploration ● Confidence-building through exposure

ACE facilitators engage with the classes throughout the entire school year with virtual activities facilitated with the teacher. This year-long engagement fosters an environment where students feel comfortable trying something unfamiliar, whether flying a simulator or learning about aircraft systems.

Evolution and Scalability

Since its launch, ACE has steadily grown in both reach and reputation. The program began in Edmonton and later expanded to Calgary, adapting to the unique assets and partners in each city. One of the key implementation strengths has been the ability to scale without compromising on quality, thanks to:

Consistent core objectives across locations
A flexible framework that allows for customization
A strong backbone of community and industry support

Elevate Aviation continues to explore the possibility of expanding ACE into other Canadian cities, leveraging the current model and refining it based on feedback from students, parents, educators, and partners.

Program Impact

Although each student’s experience is unique, a common thread among participants is a sense of increased awareness and excitement about aviation careers. Many report discovering jobs they had never heard of before, while others leave the program with a clearer sense of direction for post-secondary studies or career goals.

Educators and guardians also note the program’s positive influence on student confidence, teamwork skills, and motivation to pursue STEM subjects.

Impacts / Outcomes

The impact of the ACE program is best seen in its ability to inspire curiosity, shift perceptions, and spark new aspirations in youth. Through meaningful, in-person engagement with the aviation industry, ACE helps students not only learn about career possibilities but also see themselves as part of the future workforce.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the program, Elevate Aviation uses a combination of quantitative data and qualitative feedback, collected at key points in the program cycle.

Key Metrics & Growth

Two primary metrics are used to assess the program’s reach and success:

Number of students engaged annually
Shifts in knowledge and interest levels, measured through pre- and post-program surveys

In just three years, the number of students reached has grown significantly, despite fluctuating delivery capacity based on season and partner availability:

2022/2023: 228 students
(7 ACE weeks in Edmonton, 1 summer camp, 4 in Calgary)

2023/2024: 327 students
(10 Edmonton, 1 summer camp, 2 Calgary)

2024/2025 (in progress): 480 students plus 125 summer camp students

This increase reflects growing demand for the program, stronger partnerships, and heightened awareness of the value of Aviation Career Exploration among educators and families.

Shifts in Knowledge and Interest

Surveys completed before and after each ACE week show significant gains in both knowledge about aviation and interest in aviation careers. While many students enter the program with little exposure to the industry, they leave with a clearer understanding of career options, training pathways, and what working in aviation actually looks like.

These shifts are especially important for equity and representation, as ACE often introduces students, particularly girls and those from underrepresented communities, to career opportunities they hadn’t previously considered.

Aviation Knowledge Before and After ACE:

Before ACE:

After ACE:

Participant Feedback & Testimonials

Student and educator feedback provides additional insight into the program’s impact. Participants frequently highlight the value of engaging facilitators, the excitement of hands-on activities, and the inspiration they felt from meeting professionals in the field.

Some of the recent educator feedback includes:

“Briggs was a great teacher and really engaged with the students.”

“Thank you for your dedication to making students wonder and dream. That has been a great experience of learning, inquiry, and having fun! We loved it!”

“Great program and I hope to be a part of it again!”

This kind of sentiment reinforces what the data shows: ACE is not only educational, it’s transformational. Students walk away with more than knowledge, they gain confidence, motivation, and a sense of possibility.

Lessons learned

Since the start,, the Aviation Career Exploration program has been a dynamic, immersive experience for students, but like any evolving initiative, it has provided valuable insights into what works well and where enhancements are needed. Delivering programming that balances logistics, learning outcomes, and student engagement across diverse school groups requires constant refinement. The following lessons reflect firsthand feedback from educators, partners, and program facilitators and will guide future development.

What’s Working Well

1. Varied, Engaging Programming

One of the greatest strengths of ACE is the diversity of experiences offered throughout the week. Teachers consistently praise the balance between hands-on activities, guided tours, and opportunities to interact with real professionals in the aviation industry. One teacher reflected that “the variety of hands-on activities intrigued students’ interests and wonders,” and that the range of field trips and encounters “left an unforgettable memory of pursuit and inspiration.” This speaks to the effectiveness of mixing games, presentations, simulations, and tours to sustain engagement and curiosity across a wide range of learners.

2. Multi-format Learning

Incorporating multiple formats, such as games, experiments, and physical activities/demonstrations, has proven highly successful in catering to different learning styles. The real-world context helps students make meaningful connections between abstract classroom lessons and the aviation sector.

3. Extended Learning Opportunities

Incorporating monthly video assignments released throughout the school year has also been a strong addition. These resources allow students and teachers to engage with aviation content before and after their ACE week, providing opportunities for deeper learning and reflection. When utilized, this approach helps maintain momentum, build anticipation, and reinforce key concepts long after the program concludes.

Areas for Improvement

Despite its success, ACE has encountered operational and logistical challenges that have provided useful direction for improvement:

1. Inconsistent Adult Supervision

One of the recurring challenges is managing large student groups, sometimes up to 32 students, with limited adult supervision. When schools are unable to provide enough chaperones, or when additional volunteers aren’t available, it puts strain on the program facilitators and can impact the quality of the learning experience.

2. Missed Pre-Program Content

Although the monthly video assignments are valuable, not all teachers or students complete them, resulting in a knowledge gap heading into their ACE week. This can diminish the students’ understanding of context and lead to a less cohesive experience. Teachers who skip these activities may also miss practical tips and background that help the week run more smoothly.

3. Facility Limitations

Some logistical challenges are tied to physical space. For instance, certain Edmonton sessions held in hangar classrooms face constraints such as a lack of green space, limited room for breaks, and a non-traditional schedule with meals and transitions that differ from typical school settings. For younger students, especially, irregular lunch or downtime can cause distraction or fatigue.

4. Variation Between Program Weeks

Due to the flexible, partner-based nature of ACE, no two weeks are identical. While this allows for responsive scheduling and unique experiences, it can also lead to mismanaged expectations. Teachers who have attended in previous years may build up certain activities for their students, only to find that this year’s session looks different. Similarly, educators who compare notes with other schools sometimes express disappointment when their itinerary doesn’t include a specific visit or speaker.

Moving Forward

As Elevate Aviation continues to grow and refine the ACE program, these lessons inform key priorities:

Improving communication protocols and managing expectations with participating schools and educators
Enhancing logistics and volunteer support to improve the learning environment and manage group sizes
Reimagining pre-program engagement as more interactive, trackable, and essential
Exploring infrastructure partnerships or funding options to improve facilities and support future program expansion

By remaining responsive to feedback and transparent about what is and isn’t possible, ACE will continue to offer an engaging, high-impact program that evolves with the needs of students, teachers, and partners alike.

Web link https://learn.elevateaviation.ca/programs/aviation-career-exploration/

Organization name

Elevate Aviation

Contact ace@elevateaviation.ca

Authors and Contributors