Kendra Kincade, CEO and Founder, Elevate Aviation, didn’t fly until she was 25 years old. And it was only when she was invited on a tour of an air traffic control center that her interest in aviation really sparked.
“It was all men, but at the time I didn’t notice that,” she says. “I was so excited by the radar screens and what everyone was doing. It was love at first sight and I knew right away that I had found my calling.”
Kincade became the ninth woman among 250 employees when she qualified at the Edmonton Air Traffic Control Centre. But during training, a serious vehicle accident kept her away for 2.5 years, and it seemed her chance had gone. She eventually resumed training, and was close to qualifying, but it was recommended that she be disqualified. The qualification success rate in her speciality at the time was only 7%. Fortunately, she had one colleague, John Bright, who believed in her abilities and persuaded all parties to continue with training.
“I never felt excluded, but John went out of his way to mentor me and help me,” she recalls. “When I look back, it taught me mentorship was important. I would not have qualified without his mentorship.”
Eventually, to give something back, Kincade started volunteering for the Make-a-Wish Foundation and this led to further charitable activity. She raised money for a local hospital by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and organised a Women in Aviation calendar to help raise funds.
“When the 12 women got together for the calendar, I realized there was something there,” says Kincade. “It took a while to understand but I could sense a need to harness this diversity, expose the great careers in the industry, and encourage other women to look at aviation and consider it as a career.”
Elevating diversity
Ultimately, Kincade co-founded Elevate Aviation, alongside Laura Sinclair. Elevate Aviation has grown from that initial calendar to a national non-profit organization and houses a number of initiatives. Allies in the Workforce, for example, examines a company’s culture and makes recommendations for improvement. For many organizations, the concern is not only attracting female applicants but also retaining them.
“If the culture isn’t right, women leave,” Kincade notes. “It’s important to create an environment where different perspectives are valued because that delivers the best business results.”
Elevate Aviation’s interest in promoting female and underrepresented participation in the industry starts early. The organization has programs that encompass everything from kindergarten to career. The younger generation can access Junior Jets, which are online programs to entice children aged 5-10 into aviation. Older children benefit from a one-week program that provides hands-on visits to many aviation companies including to an airport, flying drones, and riveting with aircraft maintenance. Elevate Aviation is broadening the geographical scope of this idea and is taking it nationally across Canada with global development in the pipeline.
For adults, there is a nine-week, government-supported program that provides specialist training, including on a state-of-the-art simulator. Other programs include a Customer Service course, Flight Attendant training, and an Aircraft Service Tech course. A new Introduction to Air Traffic Control course is coming soon. Elevate Aviation also provides financial assistance where required.
“The idea is to break down every possible barrier,” says Kincade. “Whatever a person’s situation, we want to be able to help. Working in air traffic control is an excellent career. The industry needs good people, and our aim is to make sure that talent pool is as broad as possible.
“I couldn’t make that happen without the team at Elevate Aviation,” she continues. “They’re the ones that have taken the work from a calendar to national prominence.”
Kincade believes the industry has made enormous progress in diversity, but there is still a long way to go. Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul is one area that she believes still has a long way to go. There are sometimes issues with getting female washrooms and uniforms, for example. “We need to shine a light on this,” says Kincade.
Role model
As a pioneer, Kincade didn’t have a role model as such, but she did have the support of that one colleague that persuaded her to persevere. And she believes that role models are now playing a vital role.
“Mentorship is so important,” she says. “When somebody can speak to you from experience, it has meaning. And for young women, it is especially crucial that they have the opportunity to talk through any concerns. And the role model doesn’t need to be female. It just needs to be someone who can listen, advise, and hopefully inspire.”
Kincade has successfully done all three for a number of years. Winning the Inspirational Role Model category at the 2024 IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards will allow Kincade to further her work. She has already made one successful documentary, “Only Up”, and the aim is to follow that up with another movie aimed at a global audience.
“It will showcase women in aviation, and we will get it in front of young adults, inspire them, and give them the confidence that stems from knowing, whatever their situation, they can have a great career in the industry,” Kincade concludes.
“Diversity is improving, but we must keep its profile high and get it on the agenda of every aviation stakeholder. I hope I can play my part in doing that.”
