PRESS RELEASE, FEB 2021

CANADA-WIDE ZENITH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM WILL MATCH YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TO JOBS AND MENTORS IN THE CANADIAN SPACE INDUSTRY, INSPIRED BY SUCCESSFUL ANALOGOUS U.S. PROGRAMS

CALGARY, AB - FEBRUARY 11, 2021 - With the goal to retain highly-qualified personnel in Canada’s aerospace industry, the Zenith Canada Pathways Foundation has been established to deliver the inaugural Zenith Fellowship Program. A bespoke mentorship and professional training program, the Zenith Fellowship aims to connect young professionals to jobs and senior-level mentors in the Canadian space sector. The success of US-based programs, such as the Brooke Owens Fellowship and the Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship, inspired the Foundation to create a program supporting sustainable growth of space talent right here in Canada. 

The Foundation is currently seeking prospective host organizations and strategic partners interested in engaging with the Zenith Fellowship to facilitate equitable, diverse and inclusive Work-Integrated-Learning (WIL) opportunities Canada-wide. Applications for the Zenith Fellowship are slated to open later this year, with a first class of Fellows announced in early 2022.

According to the Canadian Space Agency’s State of the Canadian Space Sector 2018, “49% of Canadian space companies faced difficulties hiring personnel to the extent that

positions went unfilled. Companies had the most difficulty finding engineers, scientists and technicians, as well as marketing and sales personnel."

The Zenith Canada Pathways Foundation, a Canadian not-for-profit organization, is led by a voluntary team of individuals in industry and academia across Canada. The Zenith Leadership Team includes: 

• Mr. Tahir Merali, Co-Founder & Director, Zenith Canada Pathways Foundation; COO of 4pi Lab Inc, a remote-sensing space startup 
• Ms. Hira Nadeem, Co-Founder & Director, Zenith Canada Pathways Foundation; the First Canadian Brooke Owens Fellow
• Mr. Zaid Rana, Director of External Relations, Zenith Canada Pathways Foundation; Science Mission & Systems Specialist 

“Early-career aerospace professionals in Canada struggle to find opportunities to either discover new skills or kick start their career. They ultimately leave Canada to acquire that experience and chase their dream.” says Co-Founder and Director Tahir Merali “With recent agreements to join the NASA-led Artemis program and the Lunar Gateway, coupled with the growth of Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises, Canada is primed to leverage its heritage and leadership in aviation and space to spur innovation and economic growth.” 

With Canada’s future aerospace talent at a crossroads, the Zenith Canada Pathways Foundation believes now is the time to foster the next generation of Canadian aerospace talent and arm a diverse community of leaders and innovators with tools for success.

The Zenith Canada Pathways Foundation is hosting a virtual Launch Event on the value of mentorship on February 13th 2021 at 1 PM EST. For further information, please visit http://bit.ly/ZenithLaunch. The launch event is co-hosted by the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) in Support of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications, a global non-governmental organization and network which aims to represent university students and young space professionals ages 18-35 to the United Nations, space agencies, industry, and academia.

About Zenith Canada Pathways Foundation

The Zenith Canada Pathways Foundation aims to create a national merit-based professional training and career development program designed to bridge knowledge and experience gaps between post-secondary students and early professional experience. This will be achieved through work-integrated learning opportunities and an impact-driven community of industry mentors and advisors to collectively support and sustain a highly-qualified and diverse Canadian aerospace workforce.