Aviation Australia’s new training course hopes to upskill

A major hole in Cairns aviation sector is set to be plugged thanks to a new training course that will bring vital skills and capability to the region.

Aviation Australia's North Queensland and Northern Territory business manager Chris Pigott has spent the last year developing and creating a new course to upskill local aviation workers and give the regions aviation sector more independence. Picture: Tim Little.

A major hole in Cairns aviation sector is set to be plugged thanks to a new training course that will bring vital skills and capability to the region.

Aviation Australia have taught their first cohort of marine and aviation students the basics of assembling and repairing composite materials, needed for products such as boat hulls, plane fuselages and propeller blades.

Aviation Australia's Cairns skill centre has taught the first cohort of local students how to fix, manufacture and assemble lightweight composite materials needed to repair plane and ship bodies. Glenn Phillips, Theodore Obah, Darcy Baldwin, Jack Sheehan, Chris Pigott, Paul Inglis, Max Paterson., Brayden Richardson, Lorie Kevau, Rob Donald.

Aviation Australia North Queensland and Northern Territory business manager Chris Pigott said at the moment companies like Boeing have to fly technicians from America to fix serious damage to planes that land in Cairns.

“We can do basic repairs on the aviation side of it, but once it gets to anything advanced, we can’t do it,” Mr Pigott said.

“It’s pretty expensive to fly someone over from the States to fix an aeroplane, it would be much more cost effective to do it locally.

“If aircraft are sitting on the ground, not making money, they’re very expensive … so even if you could repair that aeroplane with the damage one day quicker than flying someone out from the States, that’s an enormous amount of money.”

Aviation Australia students get hands on experience in the multi day process of repairing and installing composite materials designed for ships and aircraft. Picture: Supplied.

As part of the course students have to complete a number of theory and practical components that will make the cohort of ten incredibly competitive in the booming Cairns aviation sector. Picture: Supplied.

The skill was one of many across the region’s aviation sector revealed to be in critically short demand by the state governments 2023 Cairns Region Workforce Development Plan.

By upskilling existing locals Mr Pigott said the region could attract international business and pump money into the local economy.

“If you’ve got a 787 that goes to Japan every day and suddenly it’s not going to Japan for two weeks suddenly Cairns is in a unique position to conduct heavy maintenance on aircraft, very few places in Australia can do that,” Mr Pigott said.

“We actually attract overseas airlines to bring their aircraft here for maintenance.”

Since 2004, Aviation Australia has trained more than 900 students in Cairns.

Originally published as Aviation Australia’s new training course hopes to upskill