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Volunteer

VOLUNTEER

Since its inception, volunteers have been the lifeblood of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada, committing thousands of hours of dedicated service to help the museum’s transformation become a reality.

The museum’s volunteer force is not only composed of engineers, former members of the Royal Canadian Air Force, bush pilots, and professional airplane mechanics, but also retired teachers, administrators, customer service reps, technicians, photographers, public speakers, and people who share a passion for exploring, preserving, and sharing aviation history.

Our volunteer teams work seamlessly with museum staff and have contributed to nearly all areas of operations within the museum. Volunteers are critical to the museum’s mission to preserve and promote aviation stories in western and northern Canada while educating, entertaining, and inspiring.

VIEW AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES

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For existing volunteers

VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION

For new volunteers

    • AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES

    All volunteers must show a satisfactory result of a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Search (at no cost to the volunteer).

    The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada seeks to honour and commemorate the history of Indigenous Peoples and aviation in Western Canada while engaging with the complex history of travel, trade, and relationships in this place. We are committed to the calls to actions of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and facilitating a safe space for reconciliation to occur.

    The new home of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada is located on Treaty 1 territory, the traditional territory of Anishinaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, Lakota and Dene Peoples, and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.

    We respect the Treaties that were made on these territories, we acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past, and we dedicate ourselves to move forward in partnership with Indigenous communities in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.


    Volunteering at Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada
    The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (RAMWC) is located in an 86,000 sq. ft facility located on the James A. Richardson International Airport campus in Winnipeg, Manitoba. RAMWC is a non-profit dedicated to preserving the history of aviation in Western Canada. The museum showcases 25 aircraft and many unique aviation artefacts from its collection, presented from a story-driven approach.

    We are a fun, social, and educative place to work and volunteer. Our team is dedicated to sharing our passion of aviation with Manitoba, Canada and the rest of the world. We are looking for volunteers who are enthusiastic, energetic and ready to assist us on our mission to preserve and promote the stories of aviation in western and northern Canada while educating, entertaining and inspiring. We offer our volunteers many fun opportunities to explore Canadian aviation and share their unique experiences.

    If you’re interested in one of our volunteer opportunities, please register below or contact Leslie Stewart at 204-786-0404.

    VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION

    Position: Student Aviation Ambassadors – 16 years and older

    Location: 2088 Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba

    Time Commitment: RAMWC is open 10:00 am to 5:00 pm 7 days per week. Volunteers self-schedule.

    Mid-September to Mid-June: 3 hour volunteer shifts are available on weekends and holidays

    During Summer Break, Spring Break and Winter Break: 3 and 6 hour volunteer shifts are available seven days per week

    Volunteers engage with visitors of all ages while in the museum’s interactive zones and during public programming.

    Pedal Planes Attendant – Open to the public from Mid-June to Mid-September

    • Set up the Mini Tiger Moths on the aviation plaza at the beginning of the day and return to storage at the end

    • Be observant and ask parents and children to be careful to prevent injuries and also not damage the planes

    •  Keep the area organized and litter free

    Science of Flight Zone – Open year-round to the public

    • Show visitors how the Musketeer Trainer, the Mini Helicopter and Wind Tunnel exhibits operate

    • Give demonstrations of the mini-musketeer model

    • Encourage children to participate

    • Ask the visitors to stay outside of the barriers and to handle the instruments with care

    Pop Up and Family Activities – Days when public programming is offered

    • Participate in DIY activities, crafts, games and projects that keep families entertained.

    • Offered during school’s winter and spring breaks

    Special Event Days – Events are promoted on the museum’s website

    • Be an ambassador during event days such as Halloween Carnival on October 26th, the Annual Easter Egg Hunt, Visiting Aircraft and Open Cock-pit days. During these large events, parking lot attendants are also needed.

    Requirements:

    • Students must 16 years or older

    • Good verbal communication skills

    • Willingness to develop leadership skills

    • Interest in science, aviation, or aerospace

    • Ability to do tasks

    STUDENT VOLUNTEER

    Position: Volunteer Tour Guide in the Education Program 

    Location: 2088 Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba 

    Time Commitment: One 2-hour shift per week, Monday to Friday, usually 9:45 am to 11:45 am

    The Role: This is a perfect role for retired school teachers wishing to educate and inspire children while having fun. Enthusiastic tour guides are needed to support our educational tours of the galleries to groups of students during the school year. The tours are usually 60 minutes in length and the content is based on the ages of the group. Training of the museum’s exhibits and content of the tours will be provided. The tour guides may also assist the educators with stembased activities in the classrooms.


    Responsibilities:

    • Lead engaging tours of the museum with a focus on grade and curriculum-based content
    • Assist with the arrival of the students
    • Ensure the safety of the students
    • Assist with preparations of materials in the classroom
    • Assist the educators with in-class activities, as needed


    Requirements:

    • Experience as a teacher or working with children in a daycare, classroom or camp setting
    • Must speak fluent English
    • Fluency in French is an asset
    • Enjoys interacting with individuals from diverse backgrounds and age ranges
    • Strong verbal communication skills
    • Interest in learning about Canada’s aviation history and innovations
    • Satisfactory results of a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Search
    VOLUNTEER TOUR GUIDE IN THE EDUCATION PROGRAM

    Position: Volunteer Museum Ambassador 

    Location: 2088 Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba 

    Time Commitment: Shifts are expected to range from 3-4 hours. Weekend and Weekday opportunities available. 

    Position: 
    Volunteering on the Visitor Experience team, the Museum Ambassador will welcome and engage with visitors to ensure they have a positive experience during their visit. They will help orientate visitors and offer services as needed. Ambassadors can also sign up for volunteer roles and activities at our public events. They will receive training on how to promote a safe environment and how to prevent damage happening to the exhibits. Ambassadors have opportunities to learn about the exhibits in the galleries, leading to Gallery Interpreter and other roles, if desired. 

    Responsibilities: 

    • Greet visitors with a warm and friendly welcome 
    • Respond to inquires, as needed 
    • Observe and report irregular activities and safety issues to the Supervisor on Duty 
    • Assist visitors with attaining a mobility device when needed 
    • Be knowledgeable of the museum’s events and the location of the exhibits 
    • Assist in the interactive zones and with activities during public events, as needed 

    Requirements: 

    • Enjoys interacting with diverse groups 
    • A positive attitude, strong interpersonal skills, a real people person 
    • Strong communication skills 
    • A problem-solver who can adapt to meet the needs of varying interests 
    • Able to work independently and in a team setting 
    • Successful result in a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Search 
    VOLUNTEER MUSEUM AMBASSADOR

    Position: Volunteer Special Events Helper – multiple positions available

    Location: 2088 Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba

    Time Commitment: Hours may vary, shifts are expected to range from 3-4 hours. Weekend and weekday opportunities available.

    Position:
    Working with the Visitor Engagement team, the Volunteer in Special Events will welcome all museum visitors and volunteers with the same excitement and friendliness. The Volunteer will assist in the preparations leading up to special public events and volunteer appreciation events. They will be socially minded and show a readiness to lend a hand during these events.

    Responsibilities may include:

    • Assisting with the preparation of events such as set-up and decorations
    • Engaging with guests in a social and friendly way
    • Providing hospitality services during events

    Requirements:

    • Enjoys interacting with diverse groups
    • A positive attitude, strong interpersonal skills, a real people person
    • A problem-solver who can adapt to meet the needs of varying interests
    • A successful result in a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Search
    SPECIAL EVENTS VOLUNTEER

    CONTACT

    If you’re interested in becoming a RAMWC volunteer, contact Leslie Stewart or register here.

    Leslie Stewart
    Volunteer and HR Coordinator

    1 (204) 786-0404

    VOLUNTEER PROFILE

    DANIEL DUONG

    Daniel started with us in August of 2021 as part of our aircraft move-in and cleaning team. He wanted to gain some volunteer experience and learn more about aircraft.

    “I am grateful to be part of the team to help open a new home for this museum because when I’ll look back, 10 years or so from now, I can say to people: ‘I and the great team of people at RAMWC helped build this great new museum,’ and appreciate it.”

    DANIEL DUONG

    VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: Sanni Lapitan

    Sanni has always been fascinated with flying. He comes from the Philippines where he started a bee-keeping business to fund his flying lessons.

    During his time with us, Sanni made our Musketeer exhibit more interactive for visitors by creating a Musketeer Instrument Training Guide.

    Sanni volunteered with us regularly before entering the Red River College AME program in February of 2024. He made a huge impact during his time with us, even taking a young visitor who loves flight simulation under his wing. Sanni also spent time with several home-schooled families, teaching them the basics of flight and using our Science of Flight Zone.

    RAMWC is all about inspiring youth and we applaud Sanni for being a mentor.

    VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: Bill Brereton and Lorraine Iverach

    Today we’re shining a spotlight on Bill Brereton and Lorraine Iverach, two of our archival volunteers.

    Bill and Lorraine are part of the team that has digitized and created a database for our collection of more than 40,000 black-and-white photographs. This work proved invaluable when it came to developing the exhibits for our new museum.

    Now they, and their fellow archival volunteers Dave Mork and Wayne Adams, are working on a new project: archiving all our colour photos that go back as far as the 1960s.

    FUN FACT: Bill and Lorraine are both certified divers and were involved in the search and recovery of one of our aircraft, the Ghost of Charron Lake.

    Thank you, Bill and Lorraine!

    VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: Marsh Pettitt

    Marsh Pettitt, a volunteer with RAMWC since 2018, has had an exciting career in aviation.

    Starting with his station in the Canadian Air Force at Trenton, Marsh moved on to fly helicopter search and rescue missions with the US Coast Guard and then was a flight instructor in Moose Jaw, flying a Tutor. Marsh was also a Hercules pilot for 10 years and an F18 fighter jet for another five years.

    Now, Marsh’s passion is restoring aircraft. He’s pictured here with the Sabre MK6 he brought out of storage in St. Andrews and towed to the plaza at RAMWC. He’ll be leading the crew in restoring the aircraft in time for the RCAF centennial in 2024.

    Thank you for all your hard work, Marsh!

    VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: Dave Mork

    Dave has been a volunteer with RAMWC for over 40 years. For the past 20, Dave has been digitizing and cataloging archival photos. His expertise is identifying people and planes from black and white photos donated to our collection.

    Dave also gives to our community by building amazing kiddie planes, like the F18 Hornet seen in the photo. Dave has donated several ride-on toys for our young visitors to enjoy in our Aviation Plaza.

    Growing up in the remote community of Red Lake in Northern Ontario, Dave learned to be resourceful and has always been busy with projects. Inspired by the bush planes of his youth, he decided to get his private pilot’s license at age 48 and he flew for 20 years.

    Dave is also a talented painter! When he was working as a technical service manager at the Mint in Winnipeg, he took up painting to relieve stress and he’s been painting ever since.

    Dave, you are an inspiration to us!

    VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: Don Buie

    Don has been a volunteer with RAMWC since 2021 when he joined our move-in and aircraft cleaning crew. These days, you’ll most often find him behind our ticketing desk.

    Don is a former air traffic controller and aircraft refueler and held a multitude of positions with Hudson General Aviation Services.

    FUN FACT — A lifelong Harley Davidson rider, Don has visited 50 states (including Alaska!) by motorcycle.

    Thanks for all you do, Don!