Aviation Career Information
AMROBA members are employers of highly motivated people who work in a technically changing and challenging industry where safety is the attitude and culture of all businesses. The international and domestic aviation industry is moving into its most positive era of expansion after a decade of re-structuring. This growth has left the Australian, as well as the international aviation Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) industry short of qualified and experienced maintenance and manufacturing personnel. Australia leads the World in competency based training in the aviation MRO industry. Australia’s aviation maintenance training establishments provide competency based training for many foreign students as well as our own industry.
The Government’s academic professionals, with industry (employers and unions) and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), completed in 2004 one of the most extensive revaluation and reformation of the aviation vocational education, training and qualification education system related to our MRO industry. Career minded persons can now obtain nationally recognised education qualifications issued under the Government’s National Training Framework that are completely competency based.
Continual review and development of the many skills required by our MRO personnel is being met by Manufacturing Skills Australia (MSA) for the Federal Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). Australia’s aviation MRO training meets national, and international, standards endorsed by MSA and DEST.
The outcome of the Government’s aviation MRO sector training review has updated the National Aerospace Industry Competency Standards (NAICS). NAICS form the basis of the MSA Endorsed Aeroskills Training Package. They were originally endorsed by the National Training Board in May 1993. The NAICS focus on what is expected of an employee in the workplace rather than on the learning process and includes the ability to transfer and apply skills and knowledge to new situations and environments. The NAICS reflect realistic workplace practices. It has been accepted that the NAICS must cover functions that are meaningful in the workplace and appropriate to enterprise/organisation and industry application. The areas of occupational health and safety in the Aerospace industry have top priority and are incorporated in the NAICS with care and close attention. The related issue of consumer/customer safety also receives high priority.
A visit to the following website will find a full explanation of the competency standards used in the aerospace (MRO) industry: http://www.mersitab.com.au/industry_sectors/aeroskills/training/competency_standards/
These standards have been reviewed and revised on three separate occasions; in 1994, 1997 and 2004. The 2004 review introduced a Diploma of Aerospace (Avionics and/or Mechanical Stream) for the aircraft maintenance engineer that meets the licensing requirements of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) that comply with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
A Government (CASA) licensed qualified person (aircraft maintenance engineer) is responsible for:
1. certifying an aircraft, or part of the aircraft or system,
as airworthyafter:
(a) an authorised repair, modification is carried out by
competent qualified maintenance personnel; or
(b) the installation of an engine, accessory, instrument, and/or
item of equipment by competent qualified maintenance
personnel; and
2. signing the records to return an aircraft to servicefollowing inspection, maintenance operations and/or routine servicing by competent and qualified maintenance personnel.
Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers are the “overseers”, “supervisors” and quality “inspectors” of aircraft maintenance work and are employed for their ability and responsibility to ensure aircraft stay in conformance with design standards or approved modified conditions. The new competency based Diploma of Aerospace (avionic or mechanical stream) academically provides them with transferable qualifications under Australia’s National Training Framework.
Looking for a career? Visit the Manufacturing Skills Australia website at http://www.mskills.com.au/or http://www.mersitab.com.au/careers/index.htmland look for the links to aerospace industry careers.
Another website that is very useful for careers, in general, is the Federal Government’s DEST website: http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/training_skills/organisations_contacts/useful_links.htm This site will link you to: State Training Authorities; National Skill Councils; TAFE colleges, Industry Training Advisory Bodies and a number of Miscellaneous Links.
Another website that identifies careers in aviation is the Skills One website that lists various careers in all transport industries (Aviation/Marine/Rail/Road).
It lists all types of trade skills at http://www.skillsone.com.au On that site you can also look at a list of vacancies in the aviation maintenance industry. The direct link to aircraft maintenance vacancies is: http://www.careerone.com.au
In addition,there is Government Recognised Training Organisations (RTO) that provides aviation tertiary training and qualifications that are accepted in the aviation MRO industry. The following are those RTOs that provide aviation maintenance training that comply with the NAICS and some RTOs also provide specific aircraft type training acceptable to the Licensing Authority, CASA. Certain large transport aircraft require a specific rating on an aircraft maintenance engineer’s licence.
