SHSM Students Explore Aviation Careers at Centennial College Downsview
Some workshops work so well you run them twice. On the second visit to Centennial College’s Downsview Campus, students from two school boards spent a full day at the facility. They were surrounded by real aircraft, real engines, and the professionals who keep them flying.
This return trip brought ICT, Manufacturing, and Transportation SHSM students into one of Ontario’s most hands-on post-secondary aviation environments. Students came from St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic High School (York Catholic District School Board) and Galt Collegiate Institute (Waterloo Region District School Board).
Inside the Downsview Campus
Centennial College’s Downsview Campus is not a typical lecture hall. It houses aircraft hangars, maintenance labs, and systems that students in aviation technology programs work with daily. For high school students in SHSM pathways related to technology, manufacturing, and transportation, the connections were immediate. What they study in class was visible in the facility around them.
Students walked through labs and hangars where real aircraft systems are disassembled, inspected, and rebuilt. They saw the technical infrastructure behind aviation maintenance and manufacturing, and they heard from people who do this work professionally. That kind of exposure turns abstract career options into concrete possibilities.
Samira Bullock and Aaron Schoenmaker from Centennial College hosted the visit and created an experience that went well beyond a campus tour. Students engaged with equipment, asked questions about programs, and began to understand the breadth of career pathways available in aviation and manufacturing sectors.
The Royal Canadian Air Force Perspective
The Royal Canadian Air Force brought a dimension to the day that a campus visit alone cannot provide. Sgt. Alexandre Harnois and WO Christine Plume shared firsthand perspectives on what careers in aviation look like within the military context. They covered the technical demands, the teamwork, and the pathways that actually exist for young Canadians.
For students, hearing directly from people serving in the RCAF opened doors many didn’t know were there. Military aviation careers combine the technical skills these students are building in their SHSM programs with a sense of purpose and service. That mix resonates differently than a typical career talk. The conversations were grounded, honest, and accessible.
Why Multi-Sector Workshops Work
This workshop served students from three SHSM sectors: ICT, Manufacturing, and Transportation. That overlap was intentional. Aviation sits at the intersection of these fields, and students could see how skills in one area connect to careers in another.
- A student studying ICT could envision a future in avionics systems.
- A student in a manufacturing pathway could see precision engineering in action.
- Transportation students could understand the logistics and operations that keep aircraft moving.
These cross-sector connections matter because real careers rarely fit neatly into a single category. Showing students the intersections between fields helps them think more flexibly about their futures.
What Made the Return Visit Worth It
The first edition of this event was held in October. Students came from Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, Peel District School Board, and Halton Catholic District School Board. The interest and positive feedback warranted a return. That cycle of one successful experience leading to the next is exactly how experiential learning programs build momentum within school boards.
Lauren Lamonaca-Bada, who accompanied students from St. Maximilian Kolbe, and Tyler Postma from Galt Collegiate Institute both supported their students throughout the day. Teachers who make the effort to bring students to experiences like this play a critical role in making the learning possible.
Facilitators Ishaan Takrani and Mayurah Thayaparan kept the energy high and made sure every student had the opportunity to engage meaningfully with the space and the professionals in the room.
For SHSM Coordinators Planning Sector Visits
Post-secondary campuses with specialized facilities offer something that most industry sites cannot: a visible bridge between high school learning and the next step. Students don’t just see a career in action. They see the training pathway that leads there.
When planning visits to facilities like Centennial College’s Downsview Campus, prepare students with context about the sectors they’ll encounter. Brief them on the programs available and the careers those programs lead to. The more students understand before they arrive, the better questions they’ll ask and the more they’ll take away.
If a first visit works well, plan a return. Different cohorts of students benefit from the same high-quality experience, and partners like Centennial College appreciate the continuity of an ongoing relationship. For more on how these experiences connect to SHSM requirements, coordinators can review the Ontario Ministry of Education’s SHSM program structure and its certification components.