Derek Fredlund, one of four aviation scholarship winners, wants young Inuit to know about the opportunities available to those seeking a career in aviation maintenance. (Photo courtesy of Derek Fredlund)
Aviation students get help preparing for career lift off
Scholarships awarded annually to currently enrolled students studying for a career in aviation and related fields
Four aviation program students from Nunavut will be getting some help to complete their studies.
Economic Development and Transportation Minister David Akeeagok announced in the legislative assembly Wednesday that Jukipa Kotierk, Nqobile Mazorodze, Ronald Oolooyuk and Derek Fredlund are recipients of Simata Pitsiulak Aviation Scholarships.
The $7,500 scholarship is awarded to Nunavut students currently enrolled in aviation studies programs.
Fredlund said he couldn’t believe the news when he first learned of it via an email from the government.
“It is a lot of money,” he said.
“I was pretty surprised. I talked to my dad right away and he said that he was proud of me. And it was just awesome.”
Fredlund said he was already working for Calm Air as part of an apprenticeship for his Aircraft Maintenance Engineering program at Red River College Polytechnic in Southport, Man.
As to the future, Fredlund said that when he gets his degree and attains the necessary certifications he’ll have many options.
He could continue to work for Calm Air, which he says he enjoys, partly because he’s based at the airline’s primary maintenance facility in his hometown of Rankin Inlet. But he is also considering working for Canadian North.
Over the past year, airlines like Canadian North have announced programs aimed to attract and train Inuit pilots.
Fredlund noted the need for more Inuit in aviation. He wants more Inuit, like himself, to learn about the opportunities in aviation.
“Hopefully [this will] get more Inuit kids in Nunavut to think about aircraft maintenance [as a career,]” Fredlund said.
Of the other winners, Mazorodze and Kotierk are studying commercial pilot training while Oolooyuk is studying mechanical engineering.
Speaking in the legislature, Akeeagok said air transportation is “critical for the health and well-being of our communities, and that system relies on skilled labour.”
He noted there are shortages across the country for skilled aviation engineers and pilots.
Good job keep it up, you will be an inspiration for others.
Yay! Hope they all commit to the program and complete and make nunavut proud.
There is a young man from Rankin who completed the aircraft engineer and employed at Calm Air.
Yes, we need more Inuit in aviation build the trust in the future, proud of the Inuit who are now pilots and in maintenance.