Mid-Year Momentum 2024: Bringing People together to inspire purposeful growth

The air at De Vere Beaumont Estate in Windsor hummed with excitement as over 300 CAE employees gathered for our Mid-Year Momentum event, banishing those January blues and reenergising teams from across the business.

Authored by Omkar Patwardhan, Content Marketing Manager

The day started with our CEO Justin Harling setting the tone for a day filled with purpose and inspiration. Justin’s opening remarks delved into our very own purpose – transforming lives and experiences through technology. He emphasised the importance of combining  employee and customer experience, weaving a narrative that positioned CAE Technology Services as a catalyst for positive change.

The energy kept coming with a session on "Belonging & Neurodiversity in the Workplace," led by Nichole McGill-Higgins. With a contagious passion, McGill-Higgins decoded the concepts of belonging and neurodiversity, highlighting their significance in fostering a thriving workplace through her personal as well as professional experiences. Her insights underscored how important inclusivity and diversity are in driving innovation and success. 

It was then the turn of our CCDO Richard Behan and Strategic Programmes Director Bob Pigott, who launched our sustainability strategy – CARE. A holistic approach grounded in three pillars, CARE outlines our commitment to a regenerative planet, thriving communities, and being a trusted partner. This commitment to a sustainable economy and society is further underscored by the pledge to cut our carbon footprints by 50% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2040, a decade ahead of governmental targets. 

But what if we told you as of January 2024, we are a carbon-neutral company?

The event then transitioned to give a platform to those organisations supported by the CAE Foundation, Everton in the Community, One YMCA, Citizens Online, First Days, and Edinburgh Remakery. As each foundation shared impactful stories, it illustrated how our collaborative work was making a tangible difference in helping to address the important issue of digital poverty.  

Departmental sessions followed, where we engaged in deep conversations about enhancing both employee and customer experience. Reflecting on our commitment to continuous improvement, these discussions reinforced how everyone’s personal purpose can be linked to our company purpose for maximum impact. 

A highly enjoyable team-building activity organised by GOTO Events brought a different dimension to the afternoon. The Qubed challenge, with its gameshow-style intensity, brought us together in a fun and competitive spirit, reinforcing the importance of collaboration and shared goals.  

As evening descended, the celebrations continued with a lively party featuring great food, great entertainment and great company 

The highlight of the evening, however, was awarding our annual CAE Star Winners, based on our Values:  Loving Your Job, Doing it Different, Working Together, and Advocate Belonging.  

Many congratulations to our winners, who are all Stars - 

• Loving Your Job: Ramona Pavel
• Doing it Different: Alexander Stewart
• Working Together: Colin Barber
• Advocate Belonging: Denise Sutton

The prestigious CAE Stellar Award was presented to Emily Riddles, our Presales Manager, for her exceptional leadership. She’s recognised for consistently supporting and promoting the development of her team as well as fostering positivity throughout. Her empathetic and dedicated approach sets her apart as a worthy winner.

Meanwhile, a standing ovation was well deserved for our remarkable Internal Event Manager Jenny Bushell, who planned and organised the entire event, with the support of her team – great job. 

CAE’s Mid-Year Momentum in 2024 was more than a corporate gathering – it was a celebration of purpose that is about creating a legacy of positive change and we can’t wait until to see what MYM 2025 will look like.