People of Georgian: Alumna ‘brave enough to suck at something new’

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The Georgian community is full of unique, inspiring perspectives —and we’re sharing them as part of an ongoing series.

People of Georgian: Meet Anna Julia Sirghiuta

I started my career in archaeology and research. I was in academia for a long time. And then at one point I listened to my inner voice and said, “I just want to try aviation.”

It’s not a particular thing that I like about it, it’s moreso a feeling; you skip when you walk off to work. If it makes me happy, why not do it?

It wasn’t tough being a woman as a flight attendant because it’s 95 per cent women and all of our management were women.

But there are more men in corporate aviation than in flight.

There’s a stigma that men are pilots, women are flight attendants, and that female flight attendants are “trolley dollies.”

As a student, I was inspired to create Georgian Skies, a club at Georgian College that aims to support women in aviation through networking, education and events.

I just wanted to help other students. I know it sounds cliché, but the whole process helped create who I am as a person.

Person smiles at the camera while sitting on a bench inside a building.

Person smiles at the camera while leaning against a podium inside a building, with a small airplane hanging from the ceiling behind them.

‘When you’re on your right path, everything aligns’

When I first started university before I went to Georgian, I remember I didn’t have any mentorship, and I didn’t know what I was doing. I felt lost and confused the whole time. I wish I had had someone back then to help guide me.

But when I later created Georgian Skies, I brought with me the concept of being brave enough to suck at something new.

I wanted to be who I had needed when I was younger.

The advice I’d give students is to follow that inner voice.

If it feels right and you have this burning desire to try aviation, then just do it. When you’re on your right path, everything aligns.

Anna Julia Sirghiuta, alumni of Georgian’s Aviation Management program and founder of Georgian Skies. She now works in corporate airport operations at Billy Bishop Airport in Toronto. Follow Georgian Skies on Instagram.

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