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Women in Aviation International's (WAI) 33rd annual conference kicked off Thursday afternoon in Nashville, Tennessee, with more than 170 exhibitors and about 4,500 attendees. This sets up the three-day event to be one of the strongest in its history, organizers said.
WAI 2022 marked the return of an in-person conference after the event was held virtually in 2021. “We are so excited to be back in person,” said WAI CEO Allison McKay after cutting the ribbon to open the exhibition. “All of the energy of the people [here] can’t be matched virtually as attendees come back together to network, learn from each other, and eventually get a job.”
The conference—which has served as a key venue for hiring as well as awarding scholarships—takes on a heightened role as job openings soar. “Right now, our industry is in a situation where it has never previously found itself with the number of open positions and the need for employees across all career fields and industry segments,” McKay told AIN. “It is more important than ever that we bring people together to connect them with their potential employers.”
Importantly, she added, “This is an opportunity to change the face of aviation. There have never been so many open positions that can be filled by a diverse audience, and organizations like WAI are vital at expanding the reach.”
The opening day of WAI 2022 was host to nearly two dozen industry briefings, during which prospective employers outlined positions available and the qualifications they require. Employers ranged from Part 121 carriers such as Delta Air Lines and JetBlue to business aviation organizations like Flexjet and NetJets. In addition, manufacturers such as Textron Aviation and Boeing and training organizations like FlightSafety International hosted briefings. These briefings drew a significant number of male, as well as female, jobseekers.
Audience members at a Meet and Greet the WAI Board session asked about the need to fill openings and diversify the workforce. Linda Markham, president and CEO of Cape Air and outgoing WAI chair, said, “We’ve never seen it like this,” and stressed the importance of students moving forward with their training.
As for diversification, Markham noted that the pandemic has taken a toll, with many women leaving the workforce. “It’s a little bit of an uphill battle,” she said, to increase the proportion of women in the industry, and she added that many who left “are not coming back.”
The industry has lost “a lot of really smart people,” Markham said, noting that the net result is vacancies that ultimately will hurt the ability to serve small communities.
WAI, however, is continuing its campaign to bring new students into the field and foster their training. More than 100 scholarships, valued at around $500,000 total, had been lined up by the opening of the conference, and the scholarship tallies tend to increase over the three days of the event. In all, more than $14 million in scholarships have been awarded at WAI.
Meanwhile, dozens of professional development seminars, educational sessions, and workshops are planned, with keynote speakers to include National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy, MedAire founder and chair Joan Sullivan Garrett, U.S. Air Force Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, Boeing v-p of environmental sustainability Sheila Remes, and pilot and author Carole Hopson.
In addition, the first female fixed-wing pilot in the Afghan Air Force, Niloofar Rahmani, will discuss her journey. Rahmani has political asylum in the U.S., where she has learned to fly C-130s.
The 33rd edition of the Women in Aviation International (WAI) annual conference wrapped up on March 19 in Nashville, Tennessee, after hosting more than 4,500 attendees from 16 countries and awarding 103 scholarships totaling $473,000. Declaring “We’re Back,” organizers called the in-person three-day show one of WAI’s largest events. It followed a conference held virtually in 2021.
“We are so excited to be back in person,” said WAI CEO Allison McKay after cutting the ribbon to open the exhibition. “All of the energy of the people [here] can’t be matched virtually as attendees come back together to network, learn from each other, and eventually get a job.”
The exhibition drew an international audience with attendees arriving from Singapore, Belize, Ghana, Nigeria, Brazil, and Germany, among other countries. Nearly 70 percent of the attendees were women. The exhibit hall, which remained packed throughout the show, featured 176 organizations from all segments of aviation, including the drone industry.
The conference—which has served as a key venue for hiring as well as awarding scholarships—took on a heightened role this year as job openings have soared. “Right now, our industry is in a situation where it has never previously found itself with the number of open positions and the need for employees across all career fields and industry segments,” McKay told AIN. “It is more important than ever that we bring people together to connect them with their potential employers.
“This is an opportunity to change the face of aviation," she added. "There have never been so many open positions that can be filled by a diverse audience, and organizations like WAI are vital at expanding the reach.”
The opening day of WAI2022 featured nearly two dozen industry briefings, during which prospective employers outlined positions available and the qualifications they require. Employers ranged from Part 121 carriers such as Delta Air Lines and JetBlue to business aviation companies such as Flexjet and NetJets. In addition, manufacturers such as Textron Aviation and Boeing and training organizations like FlightSafety International hosted briefings. These briefings drew a significant number of male, as well as female, jobseekers.
Audience members at a Meet and Greet the WAI Board session asked about the need to fill openings and diversify the workforce. Linda Markham, president and CEO of Cape Air and the outgoing WAI chair at the conference, said, “We’ve never seen it like this,” and stressed the importance of students moving forward with their training.
At the conclusion of the show, Deborah Hecker, American Airlines senior manager of flight operations—policy and procedures, stepped in as the new WAI board chair.
WAI signed an agreement with the Civil Air Patrol during the convention to collaborate on efforts to foster interest in aviation and flight opportunities for youth, as well as to share educational resources. Meanwhile, the presentation of scholarships from WAI and many other organizations, which has become a key part of the conference, continued throughout the three days, pushing the total awarded over the years through the event to nearly $14.5 million.
Carrying the theme of “Connect, Engage, Inspire,” WAI2022 hosted dozens of educational sessions, workshops, and seminars. Many addressed professional development, from building a resume to creating a circle for success, while others focused on mentorship and inspiring leadership.
Attendees received an overview of research on the presence of women in aviation roles and learned about military, space, maintenance, and other disciplines. They also received personal tips and learned about women who have been trailblazers in the field.
Several such trailblazers were inducted into the WAI Pioneer Hall of Fame during the event, which also featured a tribute to Wally Funk.
A centerpiece of WAI shows has been the motivational keynotes by aerospace leaders who share their stories. This year, Niloofar Rahmani gave a powerful presentation about the obstacles she overcame to become the first female fixed-wing pilot for the Afghan Air Force.
Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost—the 14th commander of the U.S. Transportation Command and the highest-ranking female in the U.S. military—spoke of the role models and mentors in her career and told a full general session that “I want us to reach a place where there are no firsts…and where women are foundational at every level.”
Other keynotes included Joan Sullivan Garrett, MedAire founder and chair, who told how the loss of a young boy in Arizona drove her to found the global aviation medical support company and campaign for better access to equipment and telemedicine worldwide. National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy, meanwhile, discussed the importance of resiliency and confronting doubts in achieving goals.
Carole Hopson, a pilot and author, also discussed resiliency as she described her career, which has included successful positions as a reporter, as well as stints with the NFL, Footlocker, and Loreal before she ultimately achieved her goal at age 54 of becoming an airline pilot.
While many of the keynotes concerned personal and professional development, Sheila Remes, Boeing v-p of environmental sustainability, discussed building a sense of community and ecosystem for a cleaner, more sustainable environment that includes sustainable aviation fuel and new electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Beyond the keynotes, WAI2022 once again brought back Girls in Aviation Day, highlighting varied careers through nearly two dozen activities.
“The strength of WAI lies in the celebration of so many like-minded women who come together to share their passion for aviation and aerospace, support each other, learn from each other, and foster the next generation in aviation,” said McKay. “WAI2022 was an amazing venue to commemorate Women’s History Month and advance our mission to connect, engage, and inspire our current and future workforce of diverse and accomplished members.”
WAI2023 will be held from February 23 to 25 in Long Beach, California.