It's an early start every morning for more than 100 air cadets as they are up at 8 a-m training, hoping to someday be involved in the aerospace industry.
They've been called the cream of the crop by their instructors, and this month, they’ve learned a lot about airplanes.
"We've learned how to drill, how to file metal, we've worked on gear swings." said Cadet Eleri Williams.
"We’ve been taking apart and packing the helicopter input drive shaft." said Cadet Connor Cecconi.
"Learned a lot about airport safety and ground handling. We even got to do some tours of the North Bay airport." said Cadet, Laraeb Ismail.
More than 700 air cadets nationwide signed up for this program, which is put on by the Department of National Defence, but only 130 made the cut.
"We're training them to succeed no matter what field they choose. They're getting experiences here that are unique to the cadet program that they are not getting at any other cadet program." said Lt. Darius Soo Lum of the Regional Cadet Support Unit.
Canadore College and the cadets have an historic partnership lasting over ten years, and in that time, over a thousand cadets have graduated from this program.
"Some of them come from very small communities some of them come from very large communities like Toronto or Vancouver or Montreal but you essentially get a vast array of the diversity that exists in the country." said Lt. Soo Lum
Cadet Ryan Khourchid says it's not just hands-on experience the cadets get, but also the theory classes with written exams, designed to prove they have good knowledge of the aviation sector.
"We're actually putting it to practice. We had our airport operations airport building competition and we're not just learning stuff we're putting it to good use." said Khourchid.
Course organizers say there's a strong chance that many of these cadets will have successful careers either in the Canadian Armed Forces or in standard flying operations.
Laraeb Ismail wants aircraft maintenance as a career.
"I'm really into it but I wanted to learn a little bit more of the theory, so I can soon get into more of the hands-on material."
Graduation from the course in North Bay is August 17th.
