Women in Aviation Week at CAV

The first week in March is Women in Aviation Week, where we celebrate the world’s first female pilot licence, given to Raymonde de Laroche on the 8th March 1910. It is also a good opportunity to celebrate the various women that work in the sector. At CAV, 16.2% of the workforce are women, with 18 working across the business in various departments and levels.

Gemma Wearin is one of CAV’s production schedulers, where she is the linchpin in ensuring all departments are working together and that parts are shipped out the door on time. When asked about the visibility of women in the aviation sector, she said: “I feel like visibility and the representation of women in the aviation sector and moreover the manufacturing sector as a whole is still low, but it is improving!

“When I started there were only a couple women working at our factory, 19 years later that number has more than tripled, showing the positive impact events like this have on our rising female talents.”

Production Operative Sue Clennell has worked at CAV for almost 10 years in our Hardware Cell, where she works with many different parts like wash pumps and prop units that bring together the Ice Protection system, and has recently even started training on a new part! Like Gemma, she has seen great improvement in female employment not just at CAV but across the aerospace industry.

When asked about what made her take the job, she said: “I’ve had previous shop floor experience, and through a friend that worked at CAV at the time, I applied for a vacancy and got the job!

“I’ve never let stigma or social standards affect my life. I applied because I thought my skills would be a good fit, and CAV saw my potential too and decided to pick me. I always say you don’t know you can do something until you do it.”

HR Manager Laura Taylor started her role at CAV three years ago. A broad role, she oversees the people plan at CAV, ensuring that we continue to attract, retain, and engage talented people who will be part of the future success of the business. When asked about what inspired her to join the Senior Leadership Team, she said: “there’s many famous inspirational women out there, but personally the ones that inspired me the most were the women I’ve worked with before.

“Seeing women in senior positions really steered my career in this direction, and I hope someday to do the same to others.”

These inspiration people are only a fraction of the amazing workforce CAV currently employ, and show that visibility is improving and representation is improving.