Meet the first recipient of our CEW and HMST Scholarship for women

Lea Vesic is challenging stereotypes in aviation as a pilot, CEO and industry advocate. Her motto? ‘The sky isn’t the limit. It’s just the view.’

Lea Vesic is a commercial pilot, Director and CEO of the RMIT Aviation Academy and the inaugural recipient of the CEW and HMST Scholarship, launched last year by Melbourne Business School, Chief Executive Women and the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust to support women making a social impact. 

For Lea, receiving the scholarship is an opportunity to empower the next generation of aviation professionals.
 
“I'm really passionate about democratising leadership and inspiring young women,” she says. 

“This scholarship has given me that ability to grow my toolkit and enhance all the skills that I'm building to really make a difference in the world through aviation and more broadly in society.” 

The CEW and HMST Scholarship offers emerging women leaders in Victoria’s not-for-profit and for-purpose sectors the opportunity to study an Executive MBA at Melbourne Business School.  

Lea is the first of three women leaders who will be supported by the scholarship to further themselves, their organisations and the community around them. 

Aviation during the pandemic

The RMIT Aviation Academy, which Lea leads, was established in 2022 – but its roots go back to World War II when RMIT, then known as Melbourne Technical College, established an aeronautical school to train RAAF and Australian Army units. 

As its Director and CEO, Lea is determined to take the new academy to even greater heights.  

"My mission is ensure the Aviation Academy is a centre of excellence, a place where aspiring aviators choose to come from across the globe to train as a pilot, engineer, operations or airline specialist. No matter the age or stage of life, the Aviation Academy will support aspirations for those seeking a career in aviation and especially those who seek to be a leader in the sector." 

With the personal motto of ‘The sky isn’t the limit. It’s just the view,’ Lea believes aviation makes a bigger contribution to the world than many people realise. 

“Aviation plays such a big part in everyone's lives, and I really want to spread that message and joy of what the industry can do for society,” she says. 

That message was particularly important when Lea became Senior Aviation and Maritime Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Seeing an industry that gives back so much to the communities through regional flights, medical flights, connecting families come to a standstill… there was a lot of tough times at that time for the aviation industry,” she says. 

“But the silver lining, I think, for us and for the industry was that the rest of the community really understood the value of aviation. 

“We came out of that really understanding that aviation is critical not only to society, but especially to an island country like Australia.” 

You could also be the pilot

Growing up in Sydney, Lea’s passion for aviation began the first time she flew on a plane to Brisbane as a child.  

“I was sitting on a Virgin Blue flight back in the day, and sitting with my mum by the window seat,” she says.

“I just felt this sense of amazement and awe about the fact that we were in a metal tube flying in the air. 

“It was just a domestic flight. And I just got this overwhelming feeling of: ‘This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.’

“Sitting by my mum, who is a fierce and staunch inspiration of mine and a fierce feminist, I turned to her and said: ‘Mum, I think this is what I want to do for my career. I want to be on the airplane. Maybe I can be cabin crew.’ 

“My mum was the first to say to me: ‘Well, you could, but you could also be the pilot.’”

That moment sparked a lifelong interest in aviation that, with her mum’s support, led to Lea’s current career. 

“My mum instilled in me in a very young age – if there's something that you want to do, but you're holding yourself back because of fear of judgment, or what other people will think, or whether you think your abilities are good enough, just do it anyway,” Lea says. 

“You'll be remarkably surprised about what you can achieve when you push yourself outside your comfort zone. Do it afraid.” 

"The airplane doesn't really know the difference between female or male pilots, yet we as a society still hold on to some limiting and detrimental views."

-Lea Vesic

Women in aviation

Despite her determination and her mum’s support, Lea’s journey in aviation has sometimes been tough – especially as a woman.  

“It's been very rewarding, but equally very challenging,” she says. 

“The industry is not very forgiving for women in particular. Less than 10 per cent of the workforce are occupied by women. And this needs to be actively and persistently addressed by all corners of the sector.” 

When she first entered the industry, Lea faced constant questioning about why she wanted to be a pilot and whether she was capable. The only thing that kept her going was her love of flying and a determination to ensure every other young female coming up behind did not feel the same discomfort and segregation.

“It's uncomfortable to know that unacceptable behaviour is still pervasive. Each and every one of us need to step up as leaders to stamp out archaic and dangerous culture. 
 
“The airplane doesn't really know the difference between female or male pilots, yet we as a society still hold on to some limiting and detrimental views that will ultimately stop us as a society from human progress."

Paying it forward

Lea says receiving the CEW and HMST Scholarship to study at Melbourne Business School isn’t just an opportunity to further her own career development, but to ‘pay it forward’ by supporting others.  

“Scholarships like the one that I've received are really life changing,” she says. 

“It's incumbent that I pay it forward – that I not only take this opportunity to make myself a better leader for those around me, but it's important that I consider how do I pay it forward to those around me.” 

Just like the industry she loves, Lea’s hope is that it will also be an opportunity to make a significant positive impact to the world at large. 

“It comes back down to that democratising of leadership that I'm so passionate about,” she says. 

“What can I do to really make sure that this experience is not just my own, but an experience that I can share with those around me to make a difference in the world?”  

To learn more about the CEW and HMST Scholarship and other scholarships at Melbourne Business School, visit our Scholarships page.  

To find out more about studying at Melbourne Business School, visit our Degree Programs and Short Courses pages, or learn about our range of services For Organisations.