What Is the International Aerospace Women's Association (IAWA)?

The International Aerospace Women's Association (IAWA) is a global aerospace association founded in 1988 for women who hold positions of impact in the aviation and aerospace industry. It brings together women of achievement, promotes their advancement worldwide, and runs a scholarship program that encourages young women to enter the field. If you are a woman working in aerospace and looking for a leadership network, IAWA is built for you — but the membership tier you qualify for depends on your years in the industry and your role.

What IAWA Does

IAWA describes itself as "a global aerospace association at the forefront of influence and advocacy which elevates women leaders who value career growth and connection and who inspire the next generation." Its activities fall into a few practical categories:

• Annual global conferences — a forum to share views on matters important to the industry and to women in general.
• Regional receptions and connects — local and regional gatherings, such as the BAY-STAT Breakfast Connect, IAWA Swinburne Connect, and Oklahoma City Connect listed as upcoming events.
• Committees and Communities — two structured ways for members to go deeper into the organization. IAWA recruits volunteers for committees and seeks members who can lead a community.
• Scholarships — the IAWA Scholarship Program supports young women entering aviation and aerospace. As of December 2025, IAWA announced its 2025 scholarship recipients and reported that the program has surpassed half a million dollars in awards to date.
• Research and advocacy — for example, IAWA and Oliver Wyman released the second edition of the "Lift Off to Leadership" report, which highlights the need for diversity amid a global talent shortage.

Members serve as role models for other women seeking advancement and growth in the industry, which is a core part of how the association frames its purpose.

Who Qualifies: Membership Tiers

IAWA lists three membership categories on its site. The qualifying conditions are stated as follows:

The distinction matters because Full Membership is tied to both tenure and seniority, while Apprentice and Student tiers are oriented toward earlier-career women. If you are unsure which tier fits your situation, the criteria above are the stated conditions — check your years in industry, your current role, and your graduation date against them.

How to Join or Get Involved

The site presents membership and engagement as two connected steps:

1. Become a member — choose the tier that matches your experience and role (Full, Apprentice, or Student).
2. Get engaged beyond dues — IAWA states plainly that "you get out of life what you put into it, and your IAWA membership is no exception." The two ways to dig deeper are Committees and Communities.
3. Volunteer — IAWA recruits volunteers for committees and for members who can lead a Community.
4. Attend events — upcoming events include regional connects and engagement meetings such as "The Authenticity Code – Americas Engagement Meeting." IAWA also maintains a photo gallery from past events.

The organization's own framing is that members who take on committee or community roles become engaged with more women leaders in aerospace around the world — so the value of membership scales with participation, not just with joining.

What IAWA Is Not

A few boundaries are worth noting so you can decide whether it fits:

• It is not a general professional association open to anyone in aviation regardless of role — Full Membership specifically requires a management or leadership position plus five years in the industry.
• It is not a training or certification body; its stated levers are connection, advocacy, role modeling, and scholarships.
• The site does not publish pricing or payment details in the material available, so membership cost and payment methods should be confirmed directly with IAWA rather than assumed.

Quick Decision Guide

• You're a woman with 5+ years in aerospace and a leadership role → Full Membership is the tier described for you.
• You graduated within the last 10 years → Apprentice Membership is the stated fit.
• You're a university student → Student Membership.
• You want more than a name on a list → Plan to join a committee or help lead a community; that's where IAWA says the deeper engagement happens.
• You're looking for funding to enter the field → Look at the IAWA Scholarship Program, which has awarded over half a million dollars to date.

To act on any of this, start at iawa.org: review the membership tiers against your own experience, then look at the events calendar and the committees/communities recruitment page to see where you can plug in.