Avionics Systems Technician selected as national judge at Skills Canada Competition

Master Corporal Sarah Cunningham stands beside a training aid as part of the aerospace technology competition at the Skills Canada Nationals Competition, in Toronto, Ontario, on May 28, 2026. Competitors performed a variety of tasks, including electrical troubleshooting, off aircraft sheet metal repairs, and component inspection, maintenance and replacement. Photo credit : LCdr Lisa Tubb, OAP CFRG

From May 27-29, Master Corporal (MCpl) Sarah Cunningham, an Avionics Systems Technician (AVS Tech), represented the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) at the Skills Canada National Competition 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. Serving as a National Technical Committee member, as well as a judge, MCpl Cunningham contributed her technical expertise and operational experience to evaluate competitors in mechanical, electronic and hardware repairs, while helping to shape the next generation of aviation professionals. Skills Canada is a multi-trade and technology competition for students and apprentices in the country. Each year, more than 550 competitors from all regions of Canada participate in over 40 skilled trade and technology competitions.

Her selection reflects years of dedication, experience, and leadership within the CAF. Approaching two decades of service, MCpl Cunningham’s journey into aviation maintenance was not a straightforward one.

Master Corporal Sarah Cunningham, national-level evaluator and technical advisor confers with their peers during the aerospace technology competition at the Skills Canada Nationals Competition, in Toronto, Ontario, on May 28, 2026.
Photo credit : LCdr Lisa Tubb, OAP CFRG

“I was drawn to serve from the time I was a young teen,” she explained. “But I didn’t know what that would look like until much later.” After high school, she worked several different jobs, when a colleague suggested she consider joining the military, a suggestion which stuck. “I visited Forces.ca a few days after… 18+ years later, here I am.”

MCpl Cunningham initially joined the Royal Canadian Navy as a sonar operator, conducting training and international exercises, and most notably, contributed to Operation PODIUM during the 2010 Olympics. However, after several years at sea, she made the decision to change career paths.

“Having always loved airplanes and helicopters and being drawn to a trade I could use beyond the CAF, I decided to pursue an occupational transfer,” she said. In 2013, she successfully transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force as an Avionics Systems Technician, training in Borden, Ontario, and beginning a new chapter focused on maintaining and repairing aircraft systems. She later deployed on Operation REASSURANCE in 2018–2019.

For MCpl Cunningham, being selected to judge at the national level carries significant personal and professional significance. “It means the world to me,” she said. “I know the amount of time, effort, and dedication I’ve put into my career to get here. To be able to represent women in aviation and women in the RCAF at this level, I would do every bit of it again.”

“Getting the opportunity to provide the ‘see it, be it’ for women in STEM and aviation is one of the things I am most proud of,” she said. Over the past several years, MCpl Cunningham has been posted to Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Atlantic, where she demonstrates firsthand what is possible for women considering careers in technical trades.

“I get to be a role model for the most important young woman in my life, my daughter, and I get to fix helicopters, which is really cool.”

And what advice does she offer to those considering joining the CAF? “Do it. Joining the CAF has been challenging and rewarding in ways I never could have imagined.”

While no career is without its share of hardships, MCpl Cunningham notes the support systems and opportunities for growth in the CAF are pillars for success. MCpl Cunningham was promoted to Sergeant and moved to her new position at 12 Wing Shearwater in July 2026.