CFLPA Career Academy Partners with Spectrum Airways Flight Training & Career College

The CFLPA Career Academy and Spectrum Airways Flight Training & Career College have just established a new partnership geared to combine our collective expertise as we continue to deliver flexible and quality education to any CFL players interested in pursuing careers in aviation.

Our shared goal is to provide our members with a foundation for lifelong learning that can continue after your time on the field. Spectrum Airways delivers flexible flight scheduling during the CFL’s regular/off-season that caters to students’ continual learning year-round. This partnership aims to ensure that members of the CFLPA are given the opportunity to build on their abilities in order to pursue a career in aviation during/after football. Jeff Keeping, CFLPA President thinks the scheduling demands, the performance demands, and the seriousness with which CFL players take their roles provides a great foundation for success in Aviation. “We can’t always decide when the game of Football is over for us as players,” said Jeff. “What we can decide is when we start preparing for that inevitable point in time, and how we can best use our talents to continue providing for our ourselves and our families.”

“According to the latest Boeing forecasts, between now and 2037, the aviation industry will need to supply more than two million new aviation personnel and around 635,000 commercial airline pilots. With Canada having a robust regulatory framework we are regarded as one of the top nations for flight training.”

“But… the real Canadian advantage in pilot training is due to our geography and climate. This gives students in Canada the challenge and experience of flying through all four seasons of our temperate climate. Spectrum students are very fortunate to practice diverse instrument approaches, ultimately developing the competency and quick decision-making skills that are used on the field and transfer them into the cockpit… All minutes from the Greater Toronto (and Hamilton) area.”

John Gioseffi, General Manager

An Aviation Testimonial from 7-year CFL Veteran – Eric Fraser:

When I began flying nearly 5 years ago – I had no idea that it would turn into the wonderful adventure it has been so far. Learning to fly gave me a marketable skill with licenses and ratings to prove it. These licenses and ratings showed employers that I had the skills necessary to be hired. This made finding work after I was released [from my CFL team] quick and simple.

There are so many different/unique career paths for pilots – and really there’s something for everyone.

I began working as a dockhand in Northern Saskatchewan and had the opportunity to fly a De Havilland Beaver on floats. Shortly thereafter, I got a more consistent flying position near Dawson City, Yukon flying a single engine Cessna for a gold miner. I’m now a captain on a twin-engine Turboprop aircraft flying cargo around the western Provinces of Canada.

My next position could be with an airline… a corporate opportunity… Medevac… or even a charter pilot.

A lot of the skills I learned on the football field have helped me become a good pilot and prepared me for success along the way. The preparation and study habits; the ability to perform and maintain focus in stressful situations; even the coordination of my body [that I developed as a professional athlete] is important when flying.

It’s not easy. There are long hours of studying and some difficult exams/flight tests along the way… but I’ve never looked out that “office” window and wished I was doing anything else when I’m flying above the clouds.

The CFLPA Career Academy is an incredible resource for the active players and one that I would have taken full advantage of throughout my career, had it been available.

To see great partnerships, like the one with Spectrum Airways, is something that all players should look in to. Our careers on the field can be volatile, so planning for the future is crucial. Knowing now where I would end up, I can say with certainty that I would have explored this new Spectrum partnership during my playing career, and I encourage anyone that is interested to give it a try.

About Spectrum Airways Flight Training and Career College

Burlington Executive Airport has grown sizeably since its formation in 1962. What was once a grass strip and a small maintenance shop has now grown to be one of the busiest airparks in Ontario. Burlington Executive Airport is home to Spectrum Airways and Kovachik Aircraft Service. With over 40 years of experience, Spectrum has trained hundreds of students, rendering them licensed pilots. Regardless of your experience, Spectrum Airways has the resources and expertise to train our students from the ground up!

About the CFLPA

The Canadian Football League Players’ Association (CFLPA) is the union for professional football players in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Since 1965, the Association has worked to establish fair and reasonable working conditions while protecting the rights of all CFL players. In addition to negotiating and enforcing the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the CFLPA provides a variety of member services, builds corporate and community partnerships and works diligently for the betterment of its membership. The current CBA will expire in 2022.

For more information: Jason Langvee, CFLPA Office, [email protected], 1-800-616-6865