CCAA — Student Work Placement Program

Finding skilled early‑career talent can be a challenge for aviation and aerospace employers, especially when projects require fresh technical skills and new perspectives. The CCAA Student Work Placement Program creates a practical way to bring post‑secondary students into your organization while reducing the cost of hiring. Delivered nationally by the Canadian Council for Aviation & Aerospace in partnership with the federal government, this program helps employers offset a significant portion of student wages through non‑repayable funding.

Through this initiative, aerospace and defense businesses across Canada can receive a wage subsidy covering a large share of a student’s work term, with support reaching up to about $7,000 per placement in some cases. The program is designed around work‑integrated learning, which can include co‑op terms, internships, applied projects, or other structured placements that connect classroom learning with real industry challenges. While it strongly supports students in STEM and business programs, additional funding considerations may apply for first‑year students or those from under‑represented groups.

For small and mid‑sized companies as well as larger enterprises, the program can make it easier to test new roles, advance R&D initiatives, or build a longer‑term talent pipeline without taking on the full wage cost alone. Businesses interested in hiring students through this program will want to review the full requirements, placement options, and funding details to see how it could fit their workforce plans.