A field trip to Southport yesterday gave grade eight students the opportunity to learn about what it would be like to be an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer.

This was thanks to the inaugural Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Day took place at the Red River College Stevenson Campus. Over 200 students from the Portage la Prairie and Long Plain school divisions where out for the day. They had the opportunity to listen to speakers from the industry and participate in hands-on activities pulled from a day in the life of an AME.

Wendy Bartinski from RRC's Stevenson Campus says the occupation of an AME is one that is lesser known but is in increasingly high demand.

"We wanted to expose kids to the occupation, to the fact that there are educational opportunities right here, locally," explains Bartinski. "And there are employment opportunities with KF Aerospace, Portage Aircraft Services, Canadian Helicopters; right here, locally. So basically train locally, work locally, with local people."

Southport Business Development Director Deanna Talbot adds they also wanted to give the kids the opportunity to realize what takes place out at Southport. She says the day went really well with students and instructors alike engaged in the activities. Talbot adds it'd be great to hold AME Day every year and hopefully bring more people to the campus.