A Sunday in March at Centennial College, not in a classroom or a lab, but in our hangar, where the pace was different, the expectations were higher, and the standard was real. The top Centennial College Aircraft Maintenance and Avionics students, selected for the Aerospace Maintenance Council (AMC) Competition team, weren’t just practicing for an upcoming event; they were being introduced to the reality of our profession.
The AMC, held this year in Orlando, is one of the most demanding events in aircraft maintenance. For the second year in a row, Centennial College students were the only Canadian school team to compete. Teams travelled from as far as Turkey, Australia, and Brazil, representing professional, military, and student divisions.
With Air Canada entering two professional teams, their coach Nuno Martins reached out to schedule regular weekend mentorship sessions in our hangar, preparing both their teams and ours. What unfolded over those weekends became much more than competition prep; it became a model for what aviation training can look like when industry steps in as a true partner.
In the classroom and labs, we teach foundational skills. To prepare for this level of competition, we needed more. That’s when the Air Canada team began coming in on weekends, voluntarily and consistently. They weren’t there to simply teach students, they worked alongside future colleagues. They introduced real-world communication, decision-making under pressure, and the pace of operational maintenance.
Some members of the inaugural 2025 Centennial team, now working as apprentices, returned for a weekend session to share their insight on both the competition and transitioning into the industry. Erik Burns past competitor for the WestJet 2024 professional AMC team, came and helped mentor for weekend practices. Porter’s team also stopped in to work alongside our students after gaining a late entry for the competition.
This type of mentorship should not be limited to competition. There is an opportunity for AMOs across the country to invest in summer work programs, job shadowing during reading weeks, and structured hangar visits, giving students a preview of the profession they are about to enter.
“Seeing the level of dedication from these students during their training would make me confident to have them as apprentices when they graduate.” ~Erik Burns, WestJet Lead/AME and mentor for the AMC team
When a student walks into a hangar after graduation already understanding the pace, culture, and expectations, they are not starting from zero; they are stepping into something familiar. This model of mentorship isn’t just beneficial, it’s necessary. It goes beyond instruction; it is lived, and it prepares students for the realities of the profession.
“Working with the students in preparation… I saw the passion in them, the hard work and determination. Spending quality time was the key to it all and what led to both of our groups finding success on the world stage (AC’s team won several events and awards) Mentoring the students was a career highlight for me and has inspired me to continue contributing my time to ensure future generations in finding success. ~Bruno Consolante, Air Canada AME and member of the AC professional AMC comp team.
What happened during those weekends went far beyond technical skill development. We created a live interview environment. Every practice became an opportunity for industry professionals to observe not just task performance, but how students responded to criticism, handled pressure, and worked as a team. These are the qualities that don’t appear on transcripts and resumes but often determine success in a hangar environment.
In aircraft maintenance, some of the most valuable knowledge isn’t found in manuals. It’s in judgment and experience. When experienced engineers work directly with students, they pass on the mindset, habits, and standards that define our profession, not just procedures.
There are clear lessons from this experience. Industry involvement needs to start early and remain consistent. A single guest lecture won’t move the needle, hands-on engagement will. Mentorship must be active; working side by side is fundamentally different from demonstrating or observing.
One of the most important outcomes of this experience is what happens after the competition ends. Mentorship doesn’t stop when the event is over; it creates pathways, exposure, connections, and real job opportunities. Students rise to the level of expectation they are given. When they are treated like professionals early, they begin to act like them.
What stood out just as much as the mentorship itself was how many parts of the aviation industry stepped forward, often without being asked. As this was not a college-funded event, the team had to raise the funds to get to Florida.
Smart Aviation Maintenance Solutions’ Mark Rinaldi was among the first to reach out and ask, “How can I help?” There was no formal request, just a genuine willingness to support the next generation.
Shortly after, the Aircraft Maintenance Fraternal Association (AMFA), at both the national and local levels, expressed interest in helping our team attend the AMC and showcase what up-and-coming AME students have to offer.
What began as a single team of five students and one substitute quickly evolved into something much bigger. Darren Cook, Senior Line Maintenance Manager at WestJet, reached out to let us know their team would be unable to attend. Since their registration had already been paid, they offered to gift their spot to us. That opportunity allowed us to send two Centennial teams, doubling both our participation and our costs. It also allowed an additional professor, Sean Fleming, to attend and support the team. Sean, along with John DeJong, already train students outside of regular hours for the Skills Ontario competition, making him a natural addition.
Darryl Best of Air Canada and Gavin Pais of Porter Airlines, both offering direct flights from Toronto to Orlando, stepped in to cover travel. The Centennial College Student Association support helped with food and transportation costs while in Florida.
This wasn’t one company helping our team; it was an entire industry recognizing its future workforce and choosing to invest in it.
Canada’s aviation maintenance industry is facing a well-documented challenge. According to the Government of Canada’s Job Bank, 34% of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers are over the age of 50, with a median retirement age of 63, and the occupation is projected to face a moderate risk of a labour shortage in the coming years. This isn’t a future problem; it’s a current one.
By the time we left Orlando, the results didn’t matter, what mattered was the transformation. Students who began the process unsure of themselves left confident, capable, and connected to the industry they are about to enter.
“Signing up for the AMC team started as wanting to prove myself to others, but as practices started, the training gave me confidence, a strong work ethic, and a deep sense of gratitude for the people who supported us throughout.” ~ Moira Gura, Centennial Team student
“The journey to the AMC is one I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. Along the way, I gained more than just experience, I found mentors who shaped me and friendships that will last a lifetime.” ~Giuseppe Gatto, Centennial Team Student
For the second year in a row, we were awarded the Peer Banner Award, voted on by fellow competitors in recognition of knowledge, skill, integrity, and professionalism.
We also achieved:
- First place in the WIN MS Wire Diagnostic event
- First place in the Panasonic IFE Troubleshooting event
One of our teams placed 25th overall across all divisions, and 7th among school teams.
Sean and I beamed with pride and some tears as they took the stage multiple times.
Beyond the rankings, what stayed with me as a coach wasn’t the scoreboard, it was the moment I watched our students stand taller, speak with confidence, and recognize that they belong in this industry. This isn’t just about training the next generation of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers; it’s about passing the torch and preparing them to carry it forward.
By Jessica Dizon Burns.
Originally published in Wings Magazine’s Summer 2026 issue