Qantas opens doors to first engineering academy to help meet demand for aircraft maintenance

Qantas has opened its own training academy as it plans to hire 200 engineers a year due to new aircraft needing more maintenance because they are less durable.

Qantas will welcome its first intake of engineering apprentices at its new academy in Brisbane on Monday, at a time when demand for aircraft maintenance is set to take off.

The airline’s former CEO Alan Joyce announced the plan to open an engineering academy in March 2023, to help keep step with global demand for highly skilled aviation workers.

Qantas is expected to hire 200 new engineers a year, as part of a forecast 8500 more people over the next decade.

In the first instance, the Brisbane academy will train 30 recruits, climbing to 150 in the years ahead. A second academy in Melbourne, which is yet to be opened, will also deliver 150 engineers a year once operational.

Australian Aviation has partnered with Qantas to deliver the training, aided by the donation of QantasLink’s last Boeing 717 to help apprentices hone their skills on jet aircraft.

It comes amid warnings from the head of the world’s largest aircraft and engine leasing company, AerCap, that the latest aeroplanes are less durable than their predecessors.

Aengus Kelly told the Financial Times the aircraft currently coming off production lines, would “probably spend more time in maintenance hangars than their predecessors”.

From left to right, Alex Hodgson, Tyson Hersee, Liam Clements, Jaxon Reihana, Alysha Paterson are mong the first intake of engineering apprentices. Picture: Steve Pohlner

He said the issue was the technology installed on the latest aircraft that was “very ambitious and not as durable”.

“If the technology that was installed on these assets had been a bit more durable then you wouldn’t have the shortages of parts and labour that are leading to these supply chain bottlenecks,” Mr Kelly said.

More imminently, Qantas’ current fleet faces its own challenges with the slow rate of new arrivals meaning ageing Boeing 737s and A330s must keep flying for several more years at least.

Qantas Domestic chief executive Markus Svensson said the new academy would play a vital role in training the next generation of aircraft engineers, and equipping them with practical skills and expertise.

Under the academy program, apprentices will have the opportunity to undertake simulated practical tasks in an environment that mirrors working in a hangar. They will also learn through on-the-job training under the supervision of experienced Qantas engineers.

“Qantas has a proud history of having some of the best engineers in the world, and investments like our new engineering academy in Brisbane will help ensure this history continues,” Mr Svensson said.

“We have hundreds of new aircraft on order from the Qantas Group and with new fleet comes further opportunities to invest in our people, their training and also recruitment, to ensure a steady and diverse pipeline of engineering talent.”

The donation of the 717 would help deliver updated training and boost apprentice numbers at the Brisbane facility, he said.

“Following more than two decades of service in the Qantas Group, it’s fitting that this aircraft will continue to contribute to Australian aviation history.”

Australian Aviation chief executive Glenn Ryan said the partnership with Qantas reflected a “shared commitment to building a resilient and diverse aviation workforce”.

“Working with Qantas, the academy will draw on our shared engineering training expertise to deliver a world-class program,” Mr Ryan said.

Originally published as Qantas opens doors to first engineering academy to help meet demand for aircraft maintenance