Box Hill Institute and Soar Advanced Flight Training (SAFT) have created an employment pathway after signing an agreement with Katherine Aviation and AAA Charters in the Northern Territory.
“The expected outcome of the agreement is the employment of 25 qualified pilots each year, which will help address the territory’s critical pilot shortage," said Box Hill Institute CEO Norman Gray. "It will also provide graduate employment outcomes for students of the Diploma of Aviation (Commercial Pilot Licence – Aeroplane).
“It’s a big deal for our students and for aviation in general. This employment pathway relationship is the first of its kind for an Australian TAFE,” he said.
Typically, a career path such as this one would take two or three years for a graduate, but the SAFT/Box Hill initiative is expected to shorten that significantly.
"Due to our flexible flying arrangements and part-time study options, our course is the preferred choice for people working full-time who want to achieve their dream of becoming a pilot," said SAFT CEO Neel Khokani. "This opportunity offers our graduates a secure, direct pathway to their first aviation job with Katherine Airlines and AAA Charters."
Khokhani believes this new path will also go a long way to help with a pilot shortage predicted to emerge in the coming years.
“We’re promoting growth in regional areas and supplying the wider aviation industry with highly qualified pilots," he said. "As top industry analysts have already determined a global shortage of over half a million pilots by 2034, this partnership will incentivise more prospective pilots into joining the profession and support their transition into an aviation career.”
For more information, check the SAFT website.