Teacher Feature: Drew Tapley - Education for Industry Success

Aligning education with real-world industry demands is key to ensuring students are prepared for successful careers. At Tec Voc High School, this goal is the center of the Aerospace Manufacturing & Maintenance Orientation Program (AMMOP).

AMMOP introduces students to aerospace manufacturing and maintenance through a yearlong course that combines technical training, regulatory knowledge, and industry exposure, helping bridge the gap between education and employment. Educator Drew Tapley guides the curriculum of the program, ensuring it reflects the current skills needed for students to work in Manitoba’s prominent aerospace sector. 

Bringing the Industry Perspective 

Tapley's background is a combination of industry experience and a passion for teaching. After moving to Winnipeg from Thompson, he completed aviation training and worked for several years in aerospace manufacturing and maintenance roles. 

He later transitioned into post-secondary education, helping develop and instruct in specialized aerospace programs while also teaching English for Trades. “I’ve always worked at the intersection of industry and education,” Drew says. “What matters most is making sure students are learning skills that actually match what employers are looking for.” 

Since joining Tec Voc in 2014, he’s guided hundreds of students to prepare for the aerospace industry. His leadership and commitment to both student achievement and industry partnership were recently recognized with the Manitoba Aerospace Award for Excellence in Education and Training.

One of AMMOP’s defining commitments is flexibility. Tapley ensures that Tec Voc follows the Manitoba Education curriculum but remains open to feedback from industry partners to shape how learning outcomes are delivered.

Near the end of each cohort, he meets with company leaders and HR professionals to get feedback on the student's development, strengths and weakness, and then uses that information to adjust his delivery for the next group of students. “If employers are hiring more in engines or composites one year, we adjust where students spend their time so it’s relevant for that employment climate,” he explains. 

Helping Students Navigate the Industry

In addition to their technical training, students are coached through challenges unique to the aerospace field, such as strict regulatory standards, detailed documentation practices, and complex security clearance processes that can take months to complete.

“People often think it’s just about hands-on skills,” Drew says. “But in aerospace, you can’t even walk through the front door without the right clearances and an understanding of regulations. Preparing students for that is just as important as teaching them how to use tools.”

He has also adapted the program to meet the realities students face outside the classroom. He has refined his students’ work experience placements to better balance family responsibilities, other employment, and making the most out of their learning time.

Students also value the program’s supportive environment. “This program has the support network of a high school, but it feels like a bridge to college and the workforce,” he adds. 

The Impact Beyond the Classrooms

Over his years, Drew has witnessed the program’s real impact as his students move directly from the classroom to an aerospace company. “Every time it feels like graduating high school all over again,” he says. “Seeing students start brand-new careers and completely change their lives never gets old.”

He has even taught multiple generations within the same families, and he continues to reconnect with former students who are now successful managers and senior technicians in the province’s aerospace sector.

Tec Voc AMMOP stands as a strong example of what is achieved when education and industry work together. Programs like this create real-life opportunities for students, and educators like Drew Tapley play a vital role in building learning experiences with a purpose, backed by the industry's needs.

More importantly, he helps students build a career that may not be easy to come by. In his words: “For many students, taking time off work or paying for post-secondary education isn't realistic. This gives them another path.