![A young man wearing a baggy black denim jack and black denim jeans. He was short black curly hair. He is standing with his hands in the pockets of the jacket infant of a small makeshift plane. The plan is a flight simulator so it has no wings on the side. It is silver with a red chevron line running for the left side to the right side. The middle part of the plane has three plan windows on the side but the inside cannot be seen.](https://frequencynews-wpoffloadmedia.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/14134443/GiveThemWings-2024-LaurynMackenzie-1024x683.jpg)
Indigenous youth, young adults explore world of aviation through event at the Nanaimo Airport
Indigenous youth and young adults got a behind-the-scenes look at the wonders and opportunities of careers in aviation and aerospace this week.
The Nanaimo Airport YCD hosted the Give Them Wings event on Aug. 13 to introduce Indigenous youth and young adults to aviation-related careers. CHLY attended the event at the airport.
Participants met with industry professionals, tried out a flight simulator and learned about aviation careers and opportunities with Give Them Wings partners.
CHLY spoke with Dina Jammaz an air traffic controller and director of community engagement and Indigenous partnerships for Elevate Aviation about the need to promote opportunities to women and underrepresented groups.
As well, CHLY spoke with Stuart Myers, an Indigenous advanced care paramedic with British Columbia Emergency Health Services, about how he turned his passion for helping people into a career, and event participant Benjamin Heald about his dream of working with planes.