This year, Illumia Labs is proud to present our second Illumia Scholarship, valued at $1,000, to an aspiring female student pursuing a career in aviation at the Manitoba Aviation Council Banquet. Our recipient, Hélène Trudeau, demonstrated a deep passion for aviation alongside her impressive volunteer and work experiences.
The Illumia Scholarship, worth $1,000, was made in order to attract women to aviation and encourage them to become aviators. Anyone between the ages of 16 and 24 who is a Canadian citizen, lives in Manitoba, and wants to pursue a career in aviation can apply for this award. This could include training or education as a pilot, aircraft maintenance engineer, air traffic controller, aviation ground staff, aviation manager, entrepreneur, or in any other field that leads to a career in aviation.
We conducted an interview with Hélène and asked her questions regarding her interest in aviation.
1. Tell us about yourself.
Hi, I’m Hélène Trudeau, and I’m in aircraft maintenance engineering at Red River College Polytech in Winnipeg. I am committed to aircraft maintenance and aviation safety, and I’m currently working as an AME apprentice at Fast Air in Winnipeg.
2. What inspired you to pursue an aviation career? Do you have a role model?
I have been interested in aviation pretty much since I was a kid. When I was nine, I participated in Women in Aviation Day at a local airport, and a seed was planted. I got on a flight, and pretty much since then, it’s been aviation. I just love aviation. Through the support of many people and organizations, I have been able to participate in aviation days at local airports and have attended immersive camps touring world-class aviation facilities, allowing me the privilege of using some of the most advanced technology. The men and women I met in this industry, who fueled my passion and provided me with a sense of hope and belonging, had the biggest influence on me. I know without a doubt that aviation is the industry I am meant to be in.
I do have role models, specifically Kendra Kincade. She is the CEO and founder of Elevate Aviation out in Edmonton, and I find her absolutely fantastic and amazing. Working with her would be awesome!
3. What would be your dream job?
When I was growing up, the goal was always air traffic control. I graduated from high school during COVID. Then, I got into maintenance at Red River College Polytechnic, and I’m really enjoying it. Right now, I’m just working on my AME license and trying to get licensed as a maintenance engineer.
4. What has been one of your greatest achievements?
I’ve been fortunate to receive a couple of scholarships, and that’s been fantastic. One of my favourite things is being able to help mentor, motivate, and inspire future generations to follow the same path because it’s the people in the industry that have been able to get me where I am. I really want to be able to do that for someone else. And it’s fun, which is why I like volunteering for these events and helping with the MAC conference. Everything involved with that is just amazing.
5. How will this Delphi Scholarship help you achieve your career goals?
It does help me pay for my schooling as well as subsidize the cost of other schools I need to be successful in my career. Because of maintenance, you often have to purchase your own tools. And it’s such a big help because tools get very expensive very quickly. It’s always a huge help!
Once again, we would like to congratulate Helene and wish her the best in her future career in aviation. We are pleased to grant her the Illumia scholarship as part of our efforts to involve youth in the Manitoba community in the aviation industry, inspire the next generation of the workforce, and get us closer to our goal of providing quality education for all.
