Today marks the grand opening of the Qantas Group Engineering Academy in Brisbane, initiating the training of its first cohort of engineering apprentices. This innovative academy is set to shape the future of aircraft engineering with a revised curriculum jointly developed by Qantas and Aviation Australia. The revamped program aims to significantly boost apprentice training capacities annually.

The academy’s inaugural group of 30 apprentices will engage in a blend of practical simulations that replicate actual hangar conditions and theoretical classroom studies. They will also gain hands-on experience under the guidance of seasoned Qantas engineers. In a notable contribution, QantasLink has dedicated its final Boeing 717, VH-YQW, to the academy, providing apprentices the unique opportunity to train on an actual jet aircraft.

Markus Svensson, CEO of Qantas Domestic, expressed enthusiasm about the academy’s role in nurturing future aircraft engineers for the national airline. Meanwhile, Glenn Ryan, CEO of Aviation Australia, highlighted the academy’s commitment to delivering a cutting-edge training program that prepares apprentices to thrive in the industry.

“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.

“Qantas has trained aircraft engineers for many decades around the country and the Academy will play a vital role in equipping the next generation of aircraft engineers with the practical skills and expertise needed to sustain and grow our industry, ensuring we meet the increasing demand for a highly skilled aviation workforce.

“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.

“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.”

This year, 30 newcomers will start their journey at the academy, with projections set to expand the intake to 150 annually. Notably, female apprentices are expected to represent 25% of the new engineers, a significant increase from last year’s 18%.

“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to building a resilient, diverse aviation workforce and setting new standards for innovation and excellence in training,” Mr 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.”

The expansion continues with over 250 engineering apprentices set to train across Australia under Qantas this year, marking a 45% increase from the previous year. Over the next ten years, Qantas plans to add 8,500 operational roles nationwide and invest in new training facilities to bolster this growth.

This new Engineering Academy in Brisbane complements Qantas’s broader training initiatives, including the Pilot Academy in Toowoomba and the comprehensive maintenance and pilot training facilities at Brisbane Airport.

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