Eighth Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship. Photo: Air Canada Air Canada and CAE will offer up to eight scholarships to Canadian women pursuing careers as commercial pilots or aircraft maintenance engineers, with applications for the 2027 Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship program opening on November 1, 2026.
The two Montréal-based aviation companies are continuing the initiative in partnership with the Northern Lights Aero Foundation. The program aims to help women access aviation training and encourage more women to pursue careers in an industry where female representation among commercial pilots remains low.
Recipients will be selected from women undertaking commercial pilot or aircraft maintenance engineer training in Canada. Those pursuing commercial pilot training may also have the opportunity to become ambassadors for CAE’s Women in Flight program.
The scholarship is named after Judy Cameron, Air Canada’s first female pilot. Now retired, Cameron flew the Boeing 777 for the airline and serves as a director of the Northern Lights Aero Foundation.
Cameron said this year’s recipients came from across Canada, from New Brunswick to Alberta, and shared a commitment to supporting other women through volunteering, mentoring and encouragement.
She also thanked Air Canada for launching the scholarships eight years ago and CAE for joining the initiative and helping expand its reach.
Air Canada said the program is already helping recipients progress in their aviation careers. Murray Strom, the airline’s senior vice president of safety, security and flight operations, noted that one of the first scholarship recipients is now flying the Airbus A330 for Air Canada.
Strom said the scholarships help women access training and build confidence as they pursue careers across the aviation industry.
CAE also highlighted the need to attract more people to aviation. Samantha Golinski, the company’s senior vice president of communications, said the industry will need an estimated 300,000 new pilots by 2034, while women currently account for approximately 5% of commercial pilots.
Golinski said initiatives such as the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship can help expand access to the profession by providing opportunities and creating role models for future generations.
The program launched in 2019 with four scholarships. In 2023, Air Canada and CAE joined forces, doubling the number of awards available to eligible students.
Applications for the 2027 scholarships open Sunday, November 1, 2026.