Centre for Advancing Engineering, Research and Innovation in Aerospace (AERIAS)
Centre for Advancing Engineering, Research and Innovation in Aerospace (AERIAS), formerly known as RIADI, connects bright engineering students like you to leading Canadian aerospace companies. Because we select the best applicants, our industry partners trust our students with important projects—giving you the chance to drive change in areas such as design and manufacturing and bring value to the company. Many students leverage their AERIAS-acquired professional experience to secure some of the most coveted positions available.
“I am very impressed by not only the calibre of work being performed by the students, but also by the students themselves. They are articulate. They are confident. They present extremely well. They are really poised for success. I think it says a lot about the quality of training and education the engineering students at Toronto Metropolitan University are receiving.”
Art Studzienny, Chief, Design - Structures, Installations, Interiors and Integration at Bombardier Aerospace (AERIAS employer-partner)
AERIAS is open to students enrolled in second or third year who are in good academic standing. Students in their fourth year must be planning to return to school in the fall semester. Occasionally, graduate students are also invited to participate, depending on the scope and duration of the specific assignment. We encourage all eligible candidates to apply. Even if you don’t have work or technical experience, your GPA and subject matter interest could be enough to win you a coveted spot in the program.
Note: International applicants must include both a study permit and a work permit in their application. Please note that the Co-op permit is considered invalid.
The hourly wage rate is generally $20 per hour. Students are also compensated for vacation, benefits and statutory holidays.
Between 4 to 16 months (500 to 2400 hours), year-round.
AERIAS arranges all placements with Canadian aerospace companies, such as Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Collins Aerospace, MHI RJ Aviation, De Havilland, Magellan and more.
Students will have successfully completed the program once the industry supervisor determines the project’s goals have been realized, and contract date completion.
AERIAS internship postings (external link) (viewable by Toronto Metropolitan University email only) are year-round. If you are looking for summer postings, please check this site in January.
Students interested in applying for the AERIAS program are required to fill out and submit the application form, along with three mandatory supporting documents.
Applicants must combine these three mandatory supporting documents into one PDF for each role and title each PDF as: “FirstNameLastName_GeneralApplicant.” PDFs must be uploaded and submitted with your application form at the application form link.
Note: As a general AERIAS applicant, your application will be re-submitted automatically for future postings, kept on file for precisely one year.
The AERIAS program receives over 200 applications each term from students in the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science. Please take the time to create a competent, innovative and creative application. If you require more guidance on how to write a cover letter and resume, Toronto Metropolitan University's Career Centre can help.
1. Cover letter
Address your cover letter to the Centre for Advanced Engineering Research and Innovation in Aerospace Science. When writing the content, remember that its purpose is different from that of your resume. A cover letter is your opportunity to provide more details about a past experience that may be relevant to AERIAS employment or that highlights specific technical and problem-solving skills that will benefit the industry. Examples may include experience gained working with a Toronto Metropolitan University engineering team (e.g. CASI, RAD, SAE), software you have worked with (e.g. AutoCAD, CATIA, Fluent, Matlab) or programming languages you are familiar with (e.g. C/C++, FORTRAN, HTML, Java, Visual Basic).
2. Resume (please include your citizenship/immigration status)
Be sure to keep your resume brief and relevant to the type of employment AERIAS offers. Consider including:
- Computer skills – software you are proficient with; programming languages you know.
- Technical skills – machinery you have worked with, such as lathes or CNCs.
- Relevant employment history – professional experience (especially technical) that demonstrates you are dedicated to your work and can perform well on a team
- Relevant extracurricular activities – activities that demonstrate valuable skills for the workplace (including part-time roles, volunteer positions, clubs and associations you were involved in, especially design teams)
- Education history – clearly communicate if you have excelled in any engineering courses or have taken courses in technical fields (such as machining operations)
3. Unofficial transcripts
You can download yours from MyServiceHub.
The Director approves of job postings for Toronto Metropolitan University students to ensure engineering experience is provided. The students are hired by company interview.
There is no fee for participating.
Note: Unlike the co-operative internship, AERIAS does not count as a credit towards your transcript.
The Career Centre offers a wide range of career-readiness support. A dedicated career education specialist can guide you on available tools and services to support your co-operative internship applications. To book appointments and for online tutorials and other information, please visit the Career Centre's website.
Program Director, AERIAS
Dr. Paul Walsh
416 979-5000, ext. 557729
paul.walsh@torontomu.ca
Program Assistant, AERIAS
Jenani Arul
ENG-137
416-979-5000 ext. 554907
jarul@torontomu.ca (opens in new window)
Interested in becoming an industry partner? Contact the AERIAS Program Director for more information.