Master Corporal Trisha Chipman’s military career began with a brief stop at a recruiting booth in high school. Learning about paid education opportunities in the Royal Canadian Air Force led her to enrol in the Non-Commissioned Member Subsidized Training and Education Plan (NCM-STEP), a decision that set the course of her life. Today, she stands on the other side of that conversation as a Specialist Recruiter, helping others discover the same opportunity.
An Aviation Systems Technician by trade, Chipman works in one of the most technically demanding maintenance occupations in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Responsible for ensuring aircraft safety and mission readiness, her work directly supports operational capability. The precision and accountability required in aviation maintenance shaped her professional reputation early: consistency, preparation, and attention to detail mattered more than physical strength or stereotypes.
Her expertise led to a defining milestone in 2019 when she was selected for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s first all-women aircraft maintenance competition team. Representing Canada in Atlanta, Georgia, the team competed against 88 international teams, demonstrating both technical proficiency and the growing presence of women in aviation maintenance – a field historically dominated by men.
Chipman’s career also reflects balance beyond the hangar. A mother of four, she remains deeply involved in her community as a soccer coach, minor hockey coordinator, and volunteer board member. In 2023, she helped the Greenwood Bomber Soccer Team win regional championships and advance to CAF Nationals, the first time in the team’s history. Her ability to integrate family, service, and community involvement challenges long-standing assumptions about what military careers require from women and parents.
As a recruiter with 1 Canadian Air Division’s Air Maintenance Attractions Team, Chipman now travels across Canada, engaging students, educators, and families. She places particular emphasis on technical trades, explaining that aviation maintenance rewards focus, curiosity, and problem-solving rather than physical size or strength. Many young women, she notes, simply have never been told they belong in these
spaces.
Chipman acknowledges that credibility in a high-stakes technical environment must often be earned repeatedly. Rather than confronting skepticism directly, she relies on performance and mentorship, helping junior members build confidence through skill development and shared experience.
Her advice to young women considering technical careers is straightforward: women belong on the flight line, in hangars, and in engineering environments just as much as anywhere else.
Looking ahead, Chipman plans to expand partnerships with colleges and training programs to strengthen recruitment into air maintenance trades and ensure the next generation of technicians reflects the diversity of the country they serve.
Chipman was nominated by Ms. Julie Bibby-MacNabb.
