Canadian Armed Forces participants, including CFB Cold Lake member Captain Monica Matzner (back row, right) at the CWIA Conference with Anika Nowak, founder of Purposeful Empathy by Design – All photos from Warrant Officer Pamela Evans.
A conference celebrating women in aviation was recently hosted in Montreal. The Canadian Women in Aviation (CWIA) Conference, hosted from May 14th to the 16th, featured a variety of speakers and opportunities for guests to discuss the opportunities for women in the aviation industry across the country.
Among the attendees was Captain Monica Matzner, Application Liaison Officer with the Royal Canadian Air Force Attractions Team at Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake. She says she values being a part of the discussion.
“Attending the CWIA conference in Montreal was a fantastic experience, offering an excellent opportunity to connect with an impressive group of women from various roles and organizations within the aviation industry across Canada. The event spanned three full days, featuring daily keynote speakers, a variety of workshops, and numerous sessions to choose from. Additionally, there were four exceptional industry tours available.”
“Between sessions, we had a trade booth area where I, along with a few other RCAF women, discussed employment opportunities with CWIA participants and even some of the hotel staff. The conference concluded with a beautiful Gala hosted by the RCAF, with Major-General Speiser-Blanchet, the RCAF Deputy Commander, serving as the keynote speaker.”
Guest speakers included Major Catherine Cabot, Senior Aide-de-Camp to the Governor General of Canada and Lieutenant-Colonel Diane Baldasaro, Director of RCAF Innovation. The conference was first held in 1991 and is founded on what it calls its three pillars: to educate, connect, and inspire.
Matzner says events like this, along with the work she is doing with the RCAF Attractions team, help to showcase a career in aviation for future generations of interested women.
“To encourage women to consider the aviation industry, particularly the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), as a viable and exciting career path, I am part of the RCAF Attractions Team. We travel coast to coast, showcasing our diverse employment opportunities. We have an applicant liaison team that connects with applicants individually to help them choose the right occupation and support them through each step of the application process.”
“By highlighting our free schooling and training in various fields, our commitment to work-life balance, our mentorship programs, and the diverse career paths within the RCAF, we aim to make the RCAF an appealing and attainable option for women in aviation.”
