Amid an industry shortage of pilots and other skilled staff, WestJet and CAE have signed a 15-year training agreement under which the global leader in aviation training will establish the Alberta Training Centre of Excellence (the Centre) for Aviation and Aerospace – a cutting-edge facility in Calgary that will house eight full-flight simulators alongside cabin trainers and state of the art digital learning tools.
WestJet will be the centre’s primary commercial airline customer and be the first to schedule initial and recurrent training for pilots and cabin crew on Boeing 737MAX, 737NG, 787 Dreamliner, and De Havilland Dash 8-400 (Q400) aircraft.
In partnership with Mount Royal University (MRU), the facility – expected to open in 2028 – will be the first of its kind in Canada to combine state-of-the-art training equipment with collaborative research and development initiatives.
“WestJet’s commitment to being the first commercial airline customer at the Alberta Training Centre of Excellence is testament to our investment in our current and future WestJetters and in Calgary as an aviation hub,” said WestJet Group CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech. “This 15-year contract is a significant commitment that will ensure our people receive the highest standard of training for years to come, and we’re very pleased to join forces with CAE, a global leader in aviation training and fellow Canadian company, to bring this project to life.”
“Today marks a proud moment for CAE and for Canadian aviation,” added CAE president and CEO Matthew Bromberg. “The Alberta Training Centre of Excellence represents what’s possible when industry, academia, and government come together with a shared vision for innovation, safety, and workforce development. As global demand for aviation professionals accelerates, this centre positions Canada to remain at the forefront of training excellence.”
WestJet notes that its long-term expansion strategy depends on a robust talent pipeline, and MRU’s collaboration with WestJet at the Alberta Training Centre of Excellence will expose prospective professionals to commercial aviation through an Airline Transition Program (ATP) to be launched soon. The program will combine specialty training for MRU aviation students from WestJet with allocated simulator training time at the facility.
CAE will lead the design, development, and ongoing operation of the Centre, with MRU taking a leading role as the primary post-secondary collaborator by contributing academic research expertise and supporting mentorship and career-integrated student learning opportunities in partnership with both CAE and WestJet.
If this article was shared with you by a friend or colleague, you may enjoy receiving your own copy of Travel Industry Today with the latest travel news and reviews each weekday morning. It’s absolutely free – just CLICK HERE.