Manitoba Aerospace Week

16 Manitoba aerospace Week May 26 - 30, 2014 grooMing toMorroW'S aeroSpaCe prograM ManagerS a small group of Royal Canadian Air Force officers and one civilian are about to become the first graduates of a unique University of Manitoba program designed to groom the next generation of aerospace leaders. The Post-baccalaureate in Aerospace Program Management (PAPM) provides a broad foundation for students who may one day manage the entire life cycle of a complex aerospace system, from the concept stage through design and manufacture, marketing and ongoing employment and maintenance. "We're very excited by the program. It is unique in Canada at the moment in the sense that it is multidisciplinary," says Steve James, executive coordinator of aerospace programs in the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Courses offered by the faculties of engineering and arts and the I.H. Asper School of Business range from mechanical engineering to business management and even political studies. The program is geared toward young professionals who have a minimum three-year bachelor degree and who are already working in the industry. These students may be in early middle-management roles now, and PAPM will lay the foundation for them to move into more senior program management positions in the future. "It is to get them their baseline understanding and of course their awareness so they can accelerate their actual learning on the job," James says. "We need to give them the tools to understand the multiple factors that are involved in putting an aerospace program together and making it actually happen." Launched in September, the program was initially delivered to eight officers and one civilian at the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Studies at 17 Wing. But it's aimed at a much wider base and, eventually, James would like to see about 20 new students each year. Classes will be held in the afternoon and evening to accommodate work schedules and PAPM is looking for a permanent home near the Winnipeg airport. Historically, program managers tend to rise through company ranks. But increased global competition for aerospace expertise, combined with greater retirement rates among baby boomers, means there's a shrinking number of experts who can do complex system management and integration of aerospace systems. James says Canada needs to increase their ranks to remain competitive. "We have a shortfall of those kind of people and this program is designed to develop people for those senior and complex management roles." by Jennifer McFee For the Free Press a t 23 years old, Dana Sochaski's aero- space career has already taken flight, thanks to a head start at Winnipeg's Technical Vocational High School. Now a StandardAero employee, Sochaski graduated from Tec Voc in 2009, with a dual diploma in academics and aerospace technologies. "I thought it would be neat because it was something different than what all the other schools offered. Through the program, I also did work experience at StandardAero, Boeing and Perimeter while I was still in high school," she says. At first, she planned to be an aerospace engineer, but Sochaski discovered she prefers hands-on work on the shop floor over computer work in an office. After using scholarships to pay for a year of biochemistry studies at the University of Winnipeg to confirm she was on the right career path, Sochaski landed a spot at StandardAero through the gas turbine repair and overhaul apprenticeship program. She increased her skills when the company sent her to Red River College for several months of additional study. "They go through a lot of the aerodynamics. They teach you how to take apart an engine and read your manuals," she says. "They get you prepared for working on the shop floor." She now works in non-destructive testing, performing liquid penetrant inspections. "It's one of the five areas of non-destructive testing that you can get certified in. They tear apart the engines, and then I'll look at the parts once it's disassembled. I take fluorescent penetrant, which is like the liquid in a glow stick, and then I process the parts through it," she says. "In the end, you would get a black light and wherever you see the green penetrant, you have to investigate to see if there is a crack." Not only does Sochaski enjoy her current duties, she's also optimistic about her future with StandardAero. "I like it because although I just have one certification right now, I can get up to five," she says. "As I build up my qualifications, it means that I can do more things. I can have more variety in my work." To help other high school students launch their careers, Sochaski started her own $250 annual scholarship, which she awards each year to a Tec Voc student graduating from the aerospace program. "One of the criteria for this scholarship is that it's not for the top student. I was very strong academically, but I felt that a lot of people who were not at the top were missing out on scholarships." For teens interested in aerospace, Sochaski highly recommends the courses at Tec Voc. "It's good for people who like being critical because a lot of times, you have to be very precise," she says. "It's a great program, and there are lots of jobs available. It definitely gave me an idea of what sector of the industry I wanted to go into." head of the class dana Sochaski chose an aerospace program in high school to jumpstart her career. Photo by Darcy Finley

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