Engineering is about more than technical expertise. It’s about solving complex problems, adapting to new challenges, and finding practical solutions that keep our aircraft performing at their best throughout every stage of their lifecycle.
This International Women in Engineering Day, we’re recognizing the women who bring that expertise, dedication, and problem-solving mindset to work every day by highlighting a few of the women helping drive that impact at DHC. Meet @Jaclyn Canton, Structures Engineer, Maintenance; @April Tang, Lead Weights Engineer, Flight Sciences; and see what they have to say about their work in engineering!
What first drew you to engineering, and how did you find your way into aerospace?
Jaclyn: I attended a high school where engineering was actively promoted as a strong and accessible career path for women. That exposure helped make engineering feel like a realistic and encouraged option for me, and it played an important role in shaping my decision to pursue it. My interest in aerospace also began in high school during a physics unit on astronomy. I was fascinated by how we could understand and model systems beyond Earth, and that curiosity stayed with me as I continued to learn more about aerospace engineering and its applications. During my undergraduate studies in aerospace engineering, I completed a summer internship with Bombardier, where I was able to see aerospace engineering applied in a real-world environment. That experience helped deepen my appreciation for aircraft and strengthened my connection between academic learning and practical application, further solidifying my path in aerospace.
April: For me, it was the other way around. I was first drawn into aviation when I was 17 years old, when I decided that I wanted to learn how to fly an airplane. I worked part time after school to help pay for flying lessons. I earned my PPL when I was 18 years old, right around the time I was deciding which post-secondary programs to apply for. I loved the idea of flying, but I was told I wouldn’t pass the Category 1 medical exam for a commercial license due to a benign heart murmur, and I wasn’t sure I wanted the lifestyle that comes with being a professional pilot. I wasn’t really given much career advice, but I got pretty good grades in school so I decided I would apply to Aerospace Engineering programs at the couple of universities in the province that offered it, and I was accepted into Ryerson University with an entrance scholarship. About 5 months after graduation and working as a waitress again, I managed to get a job at Diamond Aircraft in London Ontario after interviews for two different jobs. My dad knew a guy who knew a guy who worked there. The first interview was for a method’s position, which I didn’t get. The second interview was for a customer support administrator, and I was told I got that job due to the fact I had a PPL as I would be talking to private pilots about their parts, warranty, and technical issues. After 8 months in that job, I got the courage to send an e-mail to the program manager of a new aircraft program to introduce myself. I let him know I was keen to work in some capacity on the program, and that I already worked at the company. He called me up for an interview and thankfully gave me my first job in engineering.
Who do you lean on when things get complicated?
Jaclyn: I lean on my team, my management, and other subject matter experts across the organization when things get complicated. Being in a non-technical role while supporting technical work, I’ve come to really value the strength of the collective expertise around me, and I trust that my colleagues and other SMEs have the depth of knowledge needed to handle the technical aspects of the work. My role is often to help coordinate, clarify, and keep things moving, while ensuring the right people or teams are engaged at the right time. Rather than trying to solve everything independently, I focus on enabling effective collaboration and relying on the expertise of others to drive the best outcome.
April: Personally, I lean on my husband who is very supportive of me and what I want (and he listens to me vent), and my Dad. Even though I’m grown adult woman, Dad is still the one who will tell it to me straight. Professionally, I lean on the team around me for complex work-related problems as I do not pretend to have all of the answers myself. It’s important to listen to those around you rather than try to figure everything out yourself. We’re all good at something, and what seems complicated to you might not seem so complicated to someone else. If I can’t talk to my team due to confidentiality or issues that involve conflict in other teams, I’ll talk to my manager who is very supportive.
What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome in your role?
Jaclyn: One of the biggest challenges in my role has been the steep learning curve associated with moving into a new technical domain. Although I had over 10 years of work experience at the time, I started my current role about three years ago with no prior exposure to maintenance programs. The most challenging aspect was balancing the need to quickly build technical understanding while also contributing meaningfully to the team. In a project management capacity, I am responsible for overseeing workflow, coordinating priorities, and managing key deliverable schedules, so it was important to become effective in the role while still developing my knowledge in parallel. Over time, this experience has strengthened my ability to learn quickly, ask the right questions, and stay structured under pressure, especially when managing competing priorities and timelines.
April: I was just promoted to the Chief of Weights. This is something I’m proud of, and still can’t quite believe I got here. Our team has grown from 3 people to 10 people (including an intern and contractors) in four years and I had been acting as the Team leader for the past 2.5 years. The biggest challenge so far has been changing my mindset from “me” to “we” and the collective success of the whole team, not just my own. This means that I regularly put my own tasks on pause to guide and help, and I take the responsibility for knowing what we are supposed to deliver, and I try to ensure that we deliver on time. It is another skillset to be able to ask people to complete work when you may be able to do it faster yourself (because you know something from experience). It’s challenging to give up some control over the day to day work, and to give capable people the tools and breathing space to not only figure things out, but to make processes and the work flow better too.
What does Women in Engineering Day mean to you personally and professionally?
Jaclyn: It’s a reminder of both progress and responsibility. Personally, it’s meaningful to see women represented in technical spaces where they’ve historically been underrepresented. When I started my career 13 years ago, I was the only female on my team, so it’s been encouraging to see that shift over time. In my current role, I am now one of many women on my team, which reflects how the environment has become more inclusive. Professionally, it reinforces my sense of responsibility to help support the next generation of women and engineers. It highlights the importance of visibility, mentorship, and creating an environment where emerging engineers feel supported as they develop their careers. It also reinforces that diverse perspectives strengthen engineering outcomes, especially in high-accountability fields like aerospace.
April: I never really wanted any special attention for being a woman in engineering. I never thought of myself as special, just someone who wanted to do the best job possible and be recognized on my own merits. I was fortunate to be chosen to participate in De Havilland’s PropelHer program. I was initially reluctant to participate for fear of being perceived as receiving special treatment for being a woman, but after I got over that, I really enjoyed getting to know and making friends with some of the talented women who work here. I now recognize that women in engineering are a brave bunch of people because the road to get here sometimes has unique challenges for women. For instance, in early university when I struggled with projects or subject matter, I didn’t have any girlfriends to lean on for support. The guys would naturally stick together to do projects together, and I eventually became “one of the guys” for the sake of surviving undergrad. I lived alone for 3 years in school (paying the rent to go with it), not having met many girls in my program. My social life was different as well, and I still don’t have a lot of female friends. So I know of the sacrifices that it took to accomplish something a little bit different for most women, and this is why it is important for women in engineering to tell other women that “I see you, I know we have to be one of the guys sometimes, but it’s really nice to be one of the girls in this club too”.
If your job had a soundtrack, what would it be?
Jaclyn: “Hall of Fame” by The Script featuring will.i.am. The song reflects the dedication, teamwork, and sense of purpose that are essential in my role. Much of my work involves coordinating multiple priorities, bringing together the right people and expertise, and ensuring key deliverables stay on track. To me, the “hall of fame” isn’t about individual recognition—it’s about the collective success of our company. Every project, deliverable, and collaboration contributes to building our reputation and ensuring our customers know they can rely on us. Behind the scenes, our teams work together to solve complex challenges and deliver high-quality results, helping our company earn its place in the industry. The message of the song also aligns closely with our company values. It reflects the grit required to navigate challenges, the courage to take on new opportunities, and the accountability needed to deliver on our commitments. Success in my role depends on showing respect and empathy by valuing the expertise and perspectives of others, while fostering a culture of appreciation for the contributions each team member makes. Together, those values are what help our company succeed—and what make us worthy of the “Hall of Fame.”
April: On a great day, it’s Unwritten by Natasha Beddingfield. On a crazy day, it’s Work Harder Faster Stronger by Daft Punk.
Team: News