A poor workman always blames his tools.
Most of the fellows I was acquainted with, and had the ability and determination, ended up where they wanted to in aviation.
The silver tongue was Jim O'Brien - Jock Boyd's predecessor.
Sparkie might have sugar-coated stuff in the beginning, but he had a "dream" and he realised it over several years (the twin, the brick buildings, the swimming pool).
If any of you thought that by simply forking out x number of dollars, you would be automatically given a com licence and an airline job, I can only say "there's one born every minute."
Certainly Sparkie had many good connections within the airlines, especially Ansett, and the number of NASA grads entering airlines was quite high.
I instructed there, and there was NEVER any hint of having to work for free - the wages were as per award.
NASA (later CATA, and then MASSEY in N.Z.), were great innovations by J.N. Spark, and changed Australian aviation training for the better, imho.