BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN –The Women’s Aviation Career Symposium (WACS) celebrated another successful event that shared record-breaking attendance and scholarships provided to young aviation industry enthusiasts. The annual professional career conference for women – from high school juniors through retirees – took place at Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation in Battle Creek, Michigan on March 16th.
Now in its sixth year, the WACS conference showcased over 130 representatives from aviation companies, schools, and organizations from the Great Lakes region who connected with 140 attendees. WACS awarded $30,000 to 12 women, each receiving $2,500 in scholarships, for aviation education, flight and maintenance training, and professional development. Since its inception in 2018, WACS has provided $111,500 in scholarships to 55 women. Fifty-two companies sponsored this year's event, including Gulfstream Aerospace, Western Michigan University, Duncan Aviation, Michigan Business Aviation Association and Foundation (MBAA/ MBAF), AvFlight, Dassault Falcon Jet, The Dow Chemical Company, GrandAir Aviation, Jackson National Life, and more. Twelve new sponsors and organizations participated in the event.
New this year, mostly due to great weather, were five static display aircraft generously flown in by Duncan Aviation, Michigan State Police, Stryker, SkyWest Airlines, and WACO Aircraft.
WACS 2024 Scholarship Winners
The conference also offered many new workshops this year in the form of Fast Track workshops where attendees could learn about different careers and their requirements, including military, pilot pathways, avionics, aviation and medicine, airport operations and administration, and the variety of careers at Duncan Aviation. Additionally, professional development workshops focused on scholarship opportunities and internships. Attendees also had a chance to have their application essays, resumes, and documents reviewed and critiqued. A hands-on maintenance workshop was a highlight of the conference where attendees learned how to safety-wire, an important skill to develop as a mechanic. Engineering and internship workshops were hosted by Gulfstream Aerospace. For all details of the event, view the 2024 program book.
“We are overwhelmed by the support, outreach, and continued success of the WACS event to highlight women in aviation and support our next generation of leaders in this industry,” said Mary Poirier, co-founder of WACS. “The interest from companies shows a growing desire to invest in women to fill talent pipelines, and our increased attendance showcases a continued passion for women to receive aviation training, mentorship, and job opportunities to support their career endeavors.”
WACS continues to grow and make an impact on the aviation community. Many attendees and exhibitors remarked that this was their favorite conference to attend. Keynote speaker, Captain Lynn Rippelmeyer, inspired attendees to pursue their goals and say “yes” to the opportunities that come from giving back.
“It’s wonderful to see these young women excited for the opportunities that are available to them in aviation,” said Helen Hagg, co-founder of WACS. “You can apply any skilled trade or college major to aviation, and WACS is a great way to explore the possibilities and begin a career in the greatest industry in the world.”
ABOUT WACS
WACS was founded in 2018 as an effort to help alleviate industry-wide shortages of pilots, mechanics, and other aviation professionals. Their mission is to be the leader in advancing the industry by promoting local companies, jobs, resources, and schools in Michigan and surrounding Great Lakes states. This year WACS began a new partnership with the Michigan Business Aviation Association (MBAA) and their non-profit Foundation (MBAF). With the help of their team and network, WACS is able to expand outreach to more businesses, as well as new attendees, in our region. In 2019, the team was awarded the Michigan Aeronautics Commission (MAC) Award of Excellence.
Save the date: Next year WACS will be held on March 15, 2025. For more information, visit www.mibaa.org/wacs
Left to Right: WACS Team - Emily Cemazar, Helen Hagg, Mary Poirier, and Pam Catlin
Contact: chelseav@mrgmi.com, 734-652-3329
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