New aviation partnership lands in South Australia

RMIT has announced a new aviation training school partnership with Hartwig Air in response to a growing worldwide pilot shortage.

The new entry-level Associate Degree in Aviation is set to be delivered in-part by Hartwig Air, which will mean that South Australian students will no longer need to immediately relocate to Victoria to gain in-demand aviation skills.

According to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) estimates, the Asia Pacific region alone will need more than 230,000 pilots by 2031.

Hartwig Air CEO, Captain David Blake, said approximately 5,000 pilots were trained every year in Australia, but there was still a gap of approximately 9,000.

“We know the aviation industry needs qualified pilots and we are confident the Hartwig Air-RMIT partnership can help address some of this unprecedented demand,” he said.

“We are delighted to be using the same teaching methods, assessment and student information systems that RMIT uses at its aviation training school at Point Cook in Melbourne’s west.”

Blake said the partnership had brought two well-established aviation training providers together.

RMIT partners with Hartwig Air in South Australia

Pro Vice-Chancellor Science, Engineering and Health and Vice-President Professor Peter Coloe said the partnership made sense because RMIT was a premium aviation training destination and Hartwig Air had an enviable reputation in the aviation industry.

“Hartwig Air has an international quality accreditation and is well-known for preparing students for the world of work,” Professor Coloe said.

Coloe said the partnership also provided students with unparalleled learning opportunities, by enabling students to work on shark patrol and regional mail delivery services through Hartwig Air’s charter division.

“For a young pilot, this opportunity provides invaluable paid hours in command of aircraft and makes them highly-employable as they have more than the minimum number of hours under their belt when they graduate.”.

With a pathway from Vocational Education to Higher Education, Associate Degree graduates will have the option of fast-tracking into a Bachelor of Applied Science (Aviation) at RMIT in Melbourne, which would take approximately 18 months of further study to complete.

Graduates from Applied Science (Aviation) could then become an airline pilot or choose to continue their studies via a Masters Degree or PhD in aviation.

With Hartwig Air being an accredited training provider for Vietnam Airlines, the partnership will also enable students and aviation cadets to undertake aviation training at RMIT’s campuses in Vietnam.

Story: Shelley Brady

Society and Environment

20 December 2018

Society and Environment

20 December 2018

Industry
Future World of Work
Aerospace & Aviation
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New aviation partnership lands in South Australia