Fanshawe College to Train the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Next Generation of Technicians
I joined partners at Fanshawe College to announce a new partnership between the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Fanshawe to deliver aviation maintenance training starting in January 2027.
Through this partnership, Fanshawe will deliver and maintain a Transport Canada-approved curriculum at the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering (CFSATE) at Canadian Forces Base Borden. The $34.4 million, four-year contract is one of the largest ever awarded to a Canadian post-secondary institution.
Recognized Credentials for Our Aviators
The program will train Aviation Systems Technicians, Avionics Systems Technicians, and Aircraft Structures Technicians. Students will earn the Fanshawe credentials that match the equivalent civilian programs, aligned with Canadian civil aerospace standards.
Up to 282 RCAF students are expected to enrol each year across three programs: Aviation Technician (Aircraft Maintenance) and Aviation Technician (Avionics Maintenance) diplomas, and an Aircraft Structural Repair Technician certificate. The diplomas will be delivered on an accelerated timeline, with four semesters of coursework completed in 16 months.
CFSATE will remain an RCAF military training establishment, with military instructors continuing to lead training and uphold military standards. Fanshawe instructors will deliver curriculum from the college’s Norton Wolf School of Aerospace, Information and Defence Technologies.
London Expertise, National Impact
This partnership is a great example of the impact Fanshawe College has across London and beyond. By bringing Fanshawe’s expertise in aerospace and technical education into RCAF training, we are creating new opportunities for skilled Canadians and making sure our military has the highly trained technicians it needs.
It is also part of our government’s work to invest in the Canadian Armed Forces and to connect defence procurement with Canadian expertise through the Defence Industrial Strategy.
Trained in London. Ready for the skies.
