About Aerospace

Many people think that a career in aerospace means a job as a flight attendant, pilot, or an astronaut. In fact, these occupations make up a small fraction of the potential jobs in the aerospace industry, particularly in Manitoba. Most of the careers in our industry involve manufacturing, servicing, repair and/or overhaul of aircraft and aircraft parts. Skilled professionals are needed in all areas of the sector.

Manitoba Aerospace Human Resources Coordinating Committee (MAHRCC) is an association of over 20 companies working wholly or partly in the aerospace manufacturing or aviation maintenance sectors. MAHRCC, a not-for-profit organization, was established to address the training and educational needs of these sectors in Manitoba. We have developed partnerships with local educational institutions to ensure that our member companies human resource needs can be met within Manitoba and the citizens of Manitoba have access to world-class training right in our own “backyard.” A ten-month training program can get you ready to enter our industry. If you are considering a career in aerospace, you’re closer than you think.

Aerospace in Manitoba

Manitoba Aerospace has the capacity to meet ever changing global needs. It is continuously developing its expertise to secure leading edge technology capability and become more competitive.

Its strengths include: aircraft and engine manufacturing; components manufacturing; aircraft maintenance; airframe repair and overhaul; electronics and information systems; precise machining and metal fabrication; composites and exotic metals component production; specialty coatings; launch vehicles; space satellites; target systems; simulation; training; testing; and consulting services.

The aerospace sector in Manitoba is largely divided between aircraft component manufacture and aircraft and aircraft engine repair and overhaul. Internationally recognised companies, including Boeing Canada and Bristol Aerospace (the flagship company of Magellan Aerospace Company), lead component manufacturing. Commercial aircraft overhaul is carried out by Aveos. StandardAero is a world leader in providing gas turbine engine and accessories after market service. National and international military flight training is provided by Allied Wings at its new home at Southport, Manitoba.

Aircraft and their subsystems and subcomponents are long-lived products, operated over a period of 25 or more years in a highly regulated and safety-conscious environment. Therefore, there is a sizable requirement for aftermarket services such as maintenance, repair and scheduled major overhauls.

From the repair and overhaul of small private and commercial aircraft in the early 1930's to Western Canada's largest aerospace center, Manitoba Aerospace has evolved into a billion dollar state-of-the-art, high technology sector vital to industrial development in the province.

For more information on the History of Aerospace in Manitoba visit the Western Canada Aviation Museum.

Education/Training Partners

Since 1992, MAHRCC has worked to advance aerospace/aviation programs in educational institutions. The partnerships that MAHRCC has formed with secondary and post-secondary institutions have created exciting career opportunities for students as well as valued employees for Manitoba's aerospace industry. Aerospace industry representatives sit on advisory councils for all of the institutions listed below. Specifics of the partnerships include:

Tec-Voc High School

Reopening and expanding the metals/machine shop
Wings across Winnipeg – RV6A aircraft kit – collaboration between Tec Voc and Murdoch Mackay Collegiate
Reopening and expanding the welding facility
Aerospace Manufacturing & Maintenance Orientation Program
Teacher's Year in Industry
Annual Awards

Murdoch Mackay Collegiate

Metals and Aerospace Technology
RV-6A

Red River College/Stevenson Aviation & Aerospace Training Centre

Gas Turbine Repair & Overhaul course (designed with input from StandardAero)
Composite Manufacturing program (designed with input from with Boeing Canada Technology)
Special Processes Technician Certificate Program (designed with input from Aero Recip, Bristol Aerospace, National Coating Technology and StandardAero).
Leading proponent of expansion of SAATC to Winnipeg location in 2002.

University of Manitoba

Creation of undergraduate aerospace option in Mechanical Engineering
Aerospace Engineering Liaison Professor
Scholarships, internships
Scholarships for the Engineering Access Program.

About Manitoba Aerospace Human Resources Coordinating Committee

What is MAHRCC?
The Manitoba Aerospace Human Resource Coordinating Committee (MAHRCC), a committee of Manitoba Aerospace, is an industry-driven, government-supported initiative aimed at developing a world-class workforce to meet industry's needs through partnerships with Manitoba educational institutions and other key stakeholders.

Vision
Manitoba Aerospace Human Resources Coordinating Committee is committed to facilitating positive change in Manitoba's aerospace sector and beyond in the area of training and human resources services by working with industry, individuals, institutions and governments.

Creation
The Federal and Provincial Governments and the aerospace industry created MAHRCC in 1992 to ensure that Manitoba's aerospace industry could remain competitive into the 21st century through a large investment in training. MAHRCC undertakes initiatives in training using public and private funding from government and industry.

MAHRCC's Mandate:
To assist industry and educational institutions in developing and delivering training for both existing and prospective employees in the Manitoba aerospace industry, consistent with current and projected demands for skills. It works in partnership with Manitoba Advanced Education and Training, Manitoba Aerospace companies, and selected educational organizations.

Activities
MAHRCC performs several different functions including:

Training existing employees
Training prospective employees
Working with secondary and post-secondary institutions to create permanent pathways to our industry.
Strengthening the education and training sector and forging alliances with the industry through training initiatives
Developing training relationships with other sector groups provincially and nationally
Promoting among Manitoba's youth, awareness of our sector as a desirable career destination.

About Manitoba Aerospace Association Inc. (MAAI)

MAAI is the sister organization to MAHRCC that is concerned with aerospace business development in Manitoba.

Our Vision
To be a Center of Excellence in the delivery of Aerospace products, both manufacturing and value-added services, delivered through a group of World Class Manitoba Companies and partners.

One of the three largest Canadian aerospace sectors, Manitoba Aerospace is the largest in Western Canada. It includes Canada's largest manufacturer of structural composite aircraft components, the world's largest privately owned facility for the repair and overhaul of turbine engines, and Canada's only solid rocket propellant manufacturing plant.

Manitoba Aerospace comprises over 20 Manitoba organizations and is one of the fastest growing Manitoba industries. Aveos, Bristol Aerospace, Boeing Canada Technology, and StandardAero account for 75% of the approximately 6,000 persons directly employed in the sector. Approximately 20 established aerospace firms and a growing number of small to medium enterprises supply the balance of employment.