Aviation and Aerospace

The ever-changing nature of aviation and aerospace, the complexity of supply chain dynamics, and the accelerated pace of change in the aerospace sector provide a variety of career opportunities for Ontario students.

Core industries in this sector include:

• maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for aircraft, engines, avionics, systems, and equipment
• design and manufacturing of commercial aircraft, engines, systems, avionics, equipment, and components
• flight operations (e.g., pilot training, airport services, air traffic control, and space and equipment handling)

Required Components for the SHSM–Aviation and Aerospace

The SHSM–Aviation and Aerospace has the following five required components:

1. A bundle of nine Grade 11 and Grade 12 credits

These credits make up the bundle:

• four aviation and aerospace major credits that provide sector-specific knowledge and skills. The four courses must include any combination of Grade 11 and one Grade 12 credits, and may include up to three cooperative education credit related to the sector. (These cooperative education credits would be additional to the two that are required in the bundle; see below);
• three other required credits from the Ontario curriculum. Schools may commit to including a contextualized learning activity (CLA) for the aviation and aerospace sector in each of the three credits. In each credit, some of the course expectations are then met through the CLA. (Schools that do not formally commit to including CLAs are still free to offer them in one or more of the credits.) The three credits include one in each of the following:
  • English^{footnote 1[1]}
  • Mathematics
  • Business studies or Canadian and world studies or science or an additional major credit or an additional cooperative education credit related to the sector, which would be additional to the two cooperative education credits required in the bundle; see below;
• two cooperative education credits that provide authentic learning experiences in a workplace setting, enabling students to refine, extend, apply, and practise knowledge and skills outlined in the cooperative education curriculum as well as sector-specific knowledge and skills.

Note: Multiple credits in the Ontario technological education curriculum allow additional instructional time for the practice and refinement of skills needed to develop student performance to the levels required for certification, entry into apprenticeship programs, or participation in school–work transition programs (see The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Technological Education, 2009, page 17).

2. Sector-recognized certifications and/or training courses/programs

This SHSM sector requires students to complete a specified number of compulsory and elective sector-recognized certifications and/or training courses/programs, as indicated in the following table. NOTE: Where an item in the table is capitalized, it is the proper name of the specific certification or training course/program that is appropriate for the SHSM. Where an item is lowercased, it is the name of an area, type, or category of training for which specific certifications or training courses/programs should be selected by the school or board. The requirements are summarized in the table below.

Three (3) compulsory

Four (4) electives from the following:

3. Experiential learning and career exploration activities

Experiential learning and career exploration opportunities relevant to the sector might include the following:

• one-on-one observation of a cooperative education student at a placement in the aviation and aerospace sector (an example of job twinning)
• a day-long observation of an aviation and aerospace sector worker (e.g., turbine engine technician) (an example of job shadowing)
• a one- or two-week work experience with a member of an industry association or a professional in the aviation and aerospace sector (e.g., aircraft maintenance engineer) (an example of work experience)
• attendance at an aviation and aerospace sector trade show, a conference, a symposium, or a job fair
• participation in a local, provincial, or national contest or competition with a focus on aviation and aerospace
• a tour of a local aviation museum, air force base, airport, or manufacturing facility

4. Reach ahead experiences

Students are provided one or more reach ahead experiences – opportunities to take the next steps along their chosen pathway – as shown in the following examples:

• Apprenticeship: visiting an approved apprenticeship delivery agent in the sector
• College: interviewing a college student enrolled in a sector-specific program
• University: observing a university class in a sector-related program
• Workplace: interviewing an employee in the sector

5. Sector-partnered experiences (SPEs)

Students engage with a sector partner and apply skills to gain insight into the relationship between this sector and ICE (innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship), coding, and/or mathematical literacy.

Occupations in the Aviation and Aerospace Sector

The following table provides examples of occupations in the aviation and aerospace sector,  sorted according to the type of postsecondary education or training the occupations would normally require. Many of the careers listed below can be obtained by following several different pathways. For example, "Air Pilot" appears under the college pathway but may also be achieved by following the university or workplace pathway.