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Qantas has formally opened its new Brisbane-based engineering academy, which it will operate in collaboration with the training organisation Aviation Australia.
The trainees will uniquely be employees of the Flying Kangaroo and, therefore, paid to learn – a move the carrier hopes will help alleviate an industry-wide talent shortage.
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This year, 30 apprentices will enrol in the program, but Qantas plans to eventually grow that to 150, not including those recruited to other centres across Australia.
Aviation Australia CEO Glenn Ryan said: “Working in partnership with Qantas, the Academy will draw on our shared engineering training expertise to deliver a world-class program which will provide technical training and job-ready skills for generations of engineers to come.”
As part of the program, the trainees will undertake simulated practical tasks in a controlled environment that mirrors working in a hangar, alongside their theory and classroom training.
They will also learn through on-the-job training under the supervision of experienced Qantas engineers.
In total, the wider Qantas group believes it will have more than 250 engineering apprentices in training across Australia this year, while a quarter of its engineering apprentices will be women.
As part of the announcement, Qantas also confirmed Australian Aviation’s report last month that the centre will be the new home of the Flying Kangaroo’s last active 717, quietly brought out of retirement last year.
“We have hundreds of new aircraft on order for 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 in Australia,” Qantas Domestic CEO Markus Svensson said.
“The donation of the B717 is an important milestone helping deliver updated training that will boost apprentice numbers and 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.”
The launch of the engineering academy coincides with Qantas’ huge fleet renewal program that will transform the airline’s domestic and international aircraft.
Internationally, the carrier will receive 12 new 787 Dreamliners and 12 Airbus A350s to replace the bulk of its ageing A330 fleet, alongside a separate order for 12 specially adapted A350-1000 jets to launch Project Sunrise.
Domestically, the airline will purchase 20 Airbus A321XLRs and 29 A220-300s to fly its domestic routes, but with the option to buy many more.
Subsidiary brand Jetstar has already begun welcoming its new fleet of 38 A321neos, comprising 18 A321LRs and 20 A321XLR aircraft, alongside 13 A320neos.
