Return of Air Canada and CAE Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship

Air Canada and CAE, two leading, global aviation companies based in Montréal, are proud to continue their collaboration fostering the next generation of women in non-traditional airline careers through the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship. The companies announced today that applications for the 2026 edition of the Scholarship will open on November 1, 2025.

Up to eight Canadian women studying to become commercial pilots or aircraft maintenance engineers will be awarded scholarships to pursue their training in 2026. Of those, four recipients training to become commercial pilots will join the CAE Women in Flight program as ambassadors.

"As applications open for the seventh year of the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarships, it is exciting to see the progress of past recipients. From a Captain and First Officer at Jazz Aviation (Air Canada Express), to air ambulance, corporate, and charter pilots, as well as First Officers with major airlines, these women are turning their aviation dreams into reality, thanks to the support of Air Canada and CAE,” said Judy Cameron, Boeing 777 Captain at Air Canada (retired), and Director, Northern Lights Aero Foundation. “Meeting the newest scholarship recipients at the Northern Lights Gala earlier this month was inspiring. Each of them is not only excelling in their training but also giving back. They are mentoring, volunteering, and encouraging other women to follow their own paths in aviation. I look forward to celebrating their future accomplishments. "

"All of us at Air Canada are proud to support this scholarship and of the career successes we are seeing past recipients achieve. The Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship is a vital part of the work being done to develop and support the next generation of aviation professionals. We look forward to seeing their continued progression in this exciting profession," said Murray Strom, Senior Vice President, Flight Operations and Maintenance at Air Canada.

“With 60,000 new commercial pilots needed in North America by 2034, there’s never been a more exciting time to inspire young women to take flight. At CAE, we’re passionate about opening doors and building confidence through our Women in Flight program and initiatives like the Captain Judy Scholarship. These scholarship recipients aren’t just future pilots — they’re trailblazers and role models, showing girls everywhere that the sky is theirs to reach,” said Marie-Christine Cloutier, CAE’s Vice-President, Performance, Strategy and Marketing.

The annual Captain Judy Cameron Scholarships, established in honour of Air Canada's first female pilot to help foster the next generation of women following in her trailblazing footsteps, are awarded in conjunction with the Northern Lights Aero Foundation.

The Captain Judy Cameron scholarships were launched in 2019 and initially awarded to four recipients. In 2023, Air Canada and CAE joined forces to double the number of recipients and award eight scholarships to eligible students.

Scholarship applications open on Nov. 1, 2025 here.