Australian Gov. Aviation training package

[Rawrawhammer]

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/06/17/224736/australia-launches-aviation-training-package.html

The Australian government has launched a new Aviation Training Package, which is designed to introduce national standards and qualifications for pilots and aviation workers. The move is part of the government's efforts to encourage more people to train as pilots as the country faces a growing pilot shortage problem.

The industry predicts a pilot shortage of up to 1,800 over the next two to three years, with commercial aircraft and helicopter pilots recently added to the government's official national skills shortage list.

The package is designed to increase the mobility of pilots within the country. Previously there were a variety of state and territory qualifications, while defence experience was not properly recognised by civilian authorities and vice versa. The package is also designed to make it easier for overseas students to train in Australia.

The Aviation Training Package, developed following extensive industry consultation, cuts through the numerous state qualifications and provides nationally consistent qualifications, making it easier for people considering a career in aviation, says transport minister Anthony Albanese.

In addition, for the first time the country's aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and the Department of Defence have agreed on standards and requirements for pilot qualifications, allowing free movement between the sectors.

[Niles Crane]

Who has this Minister got as an Adviser?

There are NO STATE Qualifications for PILOTS. CASA has 1 standard regardless of where you live!

What the Minister is refering to is State "Aviation Degree" qualification which are not worth the paper they are written on.

All an employer looks for is what is on the CASA Licence, NOTHING ELSE!

I have employed over 300 pilots and I don't give a Flying F%^K what Touchy Feely "Aviation Degree" rubbish the pilot has, just whats on the CASA Licence.

With this Minister _God Help Aviation

[permFO]

No Niles, you are the rational, quiet one. Frasier is the one who loses his temper. What I want to know however is, how does this new qualification allow those trained in the civil arena have free movement to the Defence sector?

[tio540]

The scheme will be self funding. Airservices publications will double in price, every month, instead of annually.

457 visas will be issued to those living in Albury to facilitate pilot entry into Wodonga. The passport requirement will be waivered.

All is well in noddy land.

[Trojan1981]

how does this new qualification allow those trained in the civil arena have free movement to the Defence sector?
Good question. It probably wont. Its probably to make it easier for defence training to be recognised in the civil industry.

[tinpis]

Shades of Goof.:(

[Howard Hughes]

Good question. It probably wont.
Bugger, was just gonna head off to my local recruiting office and get a ride in a pig, before it's too late!:ok:

[busdriver007]

Can someone tell me how CASA and the Defense department can agree on standards for pilots with NO consultation with industry(you know Airlines, Regionals and GA). It obviously was decided on the Royal Canberra Golf Club between the 1st and the 19th holes. Just like the MPL debacle. Do these people ever get out into the real world?:confused:

[SIUYA]

busdriver007......

Albanese is reported to have said:

The Aviation Training Package [was] developed following extensive industry consultation...

I can't remember being 'consulted' about it, you can't either..........who actually can? :confused:

And I'm not a member of the Royal Canberra Golf Club either, so I can't confirm your suspicions about whether the 'extensive industry consultation' took place there. However if it DID, then I think you are being overly-optimisitic in thinking that it would have been important enough to have got in the way of the game, so I'd think it's more than likely that it took place at the 19th hole AFTER the game.

Albanese's a total clown, and as Niles Crane correctly state:

With this Minister _God Help Aviation:mad:

[oldm8]

Oh well better cancel the rest of my ATPL studies!

Does anyone know (I am guessing not) or care to speculate on how they intentd to make it easier to transition mil to civil?

All can think of is RPL for ATPL subjects at least partially. There isn't much else they can do to make it easier as they already give you a CPL after an operational conversion.

[Rostov]

What pilot shortage? The pay of Oz carriers indicates pilots are a dime a dozen! Fund it all you want, when you can earn more as first year IT why would you bother!

[flysaucer1200]

SIUYA and busdriver007,

Golf, i do believe has only 18 holes. Unless negotiations took place inside the magical, 19the hole, where all players get to sink balls of scotch and walk their hands over fare ways of green ale and mark score cards with hands shakes of gentlemanly agreements

[Slezy9]

while defence experience was not properly recognised by civilian authorities and vice versa.

Mabye the military IRT will finally be recognised. It would be nice not to have to spend a bucketload of cash to do a token IRT in a lighty that we will never go near again.

[Chocks Away]

Just another "thought bubble", empty and useless rhetoric from "Cardboard Kev" and his team who you voted in.

Plenty of gestures and symbolism since he gained office... Who's running your country?:rolleyes: Orh that's right... all the pinko-poofo-limp-wristed-politically correct minority "think-tanks" that were specially invited to a "talk fest"... to give ol'Cardboard a few ideas on what he stands for...:ugh:

That media release just shows how out of touch they really are with reality!:yuk:

(off to the bunker now :} )

[CASR139]

Hi All,

The AVI08 traing package was absolutely nothing to do with degrees or flying licences or nearly anything to do with the flying side of aviation except if you want a vocational certificate (cert II, III, IV) or a diploma.

The only practical reason (from a pilot POV) is that (I think) you can receive AUSTUDY if you are attending a course at an RTO.

That MR at the top is a huuuuuggggeeee load of garbage. AVI08 is just an update to TDA03 the original aviation training package. (It has nothing to do with Big Little Kev as its been happening for the last 1.5 years or so.)

There might have been some 'improvements' on the flying side but I don't know about because its not my area. In other areas they did make some good changes.

In the TLISC's defence, they did consult training providers and industry bodies across the country but I wouldn't really call it extensive.

[CaptainInsaneO]

The Aviation Training Package, announced by Transport Minister Anthony Albanese, will cost $1.9 billion over five years and will fund more than 600,000 training places in the aviation industry.

So what exactly is costing $1.9 bisquillion?

Surely not just 5 years of Aus-Study payments to people training in the industry?

Does anyone know?

[flyer_18-737]

So will this package affect someone like me who wants to do a TAFE course at Swinburne in 2009 or mabye a Aviation course in another state

Will it Financially help me if I do a course at Uni/Tafe next year even.

(I would rather know now so that I might not have to defer my Take course)

[Rawrawhammer]

5000 funded cpls per yer x 100k per cpl = 500mil + infrastructure to support the capacity = few hundred squillions + LAMES,FAs,ATCs etc = few more squillions so it all adds up.

goodbye Pilot shortage...
now that airlines are cutting back jobs and fuel is rising they introduce this!

[assasin8]

I think they're going to do a deal with a major breakfast cereal company...

I know, the cynics out there are saying, "yeah, right and you'll collect your licence out of a cornflakes packet!"

No!

The plan will be to collect three tokens... One token only, was originally proposed to save on costs, but they decided on three to make sure the candidate was sufficiently motivated.

Then send them in, with a written statement as to why you'd like to be a pilot. Of course, with Mum and Dad's approval if your under 18.

:ok:

[CaptainInsaneO]

And of course don't forget the self-addressed envelope. We don't want these licence's sent to the wrong places now do we!

[jethrolx]

Am I the only one who noticed that pilots have been "officially added to skills shortage list"??? that means more points for immigration purposes. maybe REX and Deathstar wont be needing those 457 visa's after all.... :ugh:

[Roller Merlin]

I have been a participant in one way or another with the development process of these training packages for a very long time now. The latest rewrite sorts out a lot of administrative bumpf and aligns the whole lot with CASA manual of standards.

In simple terms the idea is that you will get a nationally recognized academic qualification for study and achievement for you aviation-based qualifications. As a commercial pilot you may be accredited a diploma in aviation, the content of which can be recognised towards other study - for example if you want to do more private study and convert it to a degree. These paper qualifications will be immediately recognised if you move into another industry such as maritime which has similar standards. The package covers heaps of vocations within the industry, not just aircrew and is meant to make your academic qualifications more standardised and transportable.

However, as Niles pointed out....the reality for us pilots is that employer companies need only a License level qualification for their employees to satisfy CASA requirements, and are not interested in more academics in general. The Unis obviously want to fill up more academic content in their aviation courses to (1) have longer courses, more business - minimum degree is 3 years, and especially (2) attract foreign students, because our government will not provide provided sponsored study visas for much less than degree level. So the unis fought to pump up the theory content for the award of a degree. In the end they lost out as no one was prepared to pay for unnecessary bumpf, and a diploma level was made against the existing commercial license. Employers were only interested in keeping their pilots licensed without additional costs. The ADF and CASA aligned their 'competency wordings' more closely so ADF pilots competencies could map directly to the CASA standards and so more easily gain accreditations.

So not much has really changed. CASA, the ADF and flying training organizations seem generally satisfied. Future licence holders should receive a bit of paper with their training that can be framed on the wall over the bar, and of course the package contractors received a sizable government payout. For those hoping to waltz down to RAAF HQ with ATPL/diploma in hand and ask for an F111 job or straight into a PC9, ...sorry...there is no requirement for any employer to accept your credentials (as for any job), and every employer can of course stipulate their own/additional standards ....UNLIKE a university or other registered training organisation (RTO) which will accept your bit of paper in your desire for greater academia. Similary the ADF IRT standard is still not recognised because it does not operate under the CAA, but the Defence Act (unless your IRE is also an ATO)!

[Niles Crane]

So, Roller, you are saying that the only thing CASA and the Defence force are "Alligning" is by making all ADF instructors ATO's?

Under the present "Regulations" this is the only thing that can happen and the rest is proping up the education system to the detriment of the aviation industry by waisting public money on something that the "Industry" does not need, nor want, nor is required by the regulations to becoome a Pilot!

Or does the Minister want to "Rewrite the regulations"?

Sounds like "Yes Minister" gone to heaven!

[Charlie Foxtrot India]

pilots have been "officially added to skills shortage list"??? that means more points for immigration purposes.

Not according to the Immigration website.

http://www.immi.gov.au/asri/occupations/p/pilot-aircraft-pilot-2541-11.htm

[Pomypilot]

MEDIA RELEASE

The Hon Anthony Albanese MP

Minister for Infrastructure, Transport,
Regional Development and Local Government

http://www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au/includes/images/crest.jpg
17 June 2008
AA057/2008

LAUNCH OF NEW AVIATION TRAINING STANDARDS


Today I launched the new Aviation Training Package which delivers for the first time Australia-wide standards and qualifications for pilots and other aviation workers.
The development of this Package is particularly timely given that commercial plane and helicopter pilots were recently added to the Government's official national skills shortage list.
Industry predicts a pilot shortage of up to 1,800 over the next two to three years. Already regional services are being reduced or cancelled due to a lack of pilots.(Or Fuel surely?;))
There are three special features to the Package:

It cuts through a myriad of state qualifications and provides nationally consistent qualifications, making it easier for people considering a career in the aviation industry;
For the first time the two regulators of Australia's aviation industry - the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and the Defence Department - have agreed on standards and requirements for pilot qualifications. This means aviation workers will be able to move more freely between civilian and defence workforces;
It will make it easier for overseas students to train in Australia, enhancing our reputation as a world leader when it comes to aviation training.The Aviation Training Package is now the official guide for training pilots and other aviation workers.
Previously to become a pilot, there were a variety of state and territory qualifications, and the experience of Defence personnel was not properly recognised by civilian authorities and civilian experience wasn't formally recognised by Defence.
The new Package will be an important resource for trainers, registered training organisations, potential trainees and those already in the aviation industry.
The Aviation Training Package has been developed by the Transport and Logistics Skills Council following extensive industry consultation.
The Council has worked closely with the CASA and Defence to ensure skilled pilots can move more freely between the civilian and defence workforces - ultimately helping to overcome pilot shortages in the aviation industry.
The Aviation Training Package brings together two key priorities of the Rudd Labor Government - building a world class aviation industry and delivering an 'education revolution'.
Our first Budget provided $1.9 billion over five years to fund up to 630,000 training places through the Productivity Places Program.
This extra funding will help the Transport and Logistics Skills Council to support skills development in Australia's transport sectors, including the aviation industry.
Addressing skill shortages is also one of the issues being considered in the development of the Government's Aviation White Paper.
The Aviation White Paper - which will be finalised by mid-2009 - will guide industry growth over the next decade and beyond. It will for the first time bring together all aspects of national aviation policy into a single statement.

[GearOff]

So if I already hold all the CASA qualifications, where do I go to obtain a Diploma? Is there any other work required?

[topgun0007]

This is the greatest farce I have ever seen in this industry.
I can tell you that I was "invited" to a validation meeting in respect to the new aviation training package and can tell you that it was all over but the shouting before I got there.
I raised several questions and concerns as an RTO director and a professional pilot, that this was a retrograde step and would have serious consequences to all of the industry, but especially mum and dad flying schools and the good old traditional path of getting a commercial license.
I raised it with the CASA ombudsman but they simply did not want to knkow.
This is how it cam about and what drove it.
To be eligible for a student visa, a nationally accredited course under the AQTF (Australian Quality Training Framework) needs to be registered with CRICOS (International Students).
International students can then apply for a visa (student) to come tho OZ to study.
This option through a Cert IV course has been available for several years.
The problem was, no students completed the cert IV, they received their licensing without it.
As such the course (cert IV) came under scrutiny due to lack of completions and was going to be scrapped (read de registered).
The larger Registered Training Organisations (TAFE) objected and went about finding a solution in an attempt to maintain their overseas student numbers (read revenue).
The industry consultation consisted of TAFE, QF and Defence!
Greatest load of Sh1t I have ever seen, but nobody cares.
I told the girl who set this in train and managed the program, she had been sold a pup and that it would have serious ramifications to the industry, deaf ears.
This was done to maintain international student revenue and for no other reason.
I am happy to take do whatever it takes to make some sense out of this.
As an owner of a relatively large RTO with avaition qualifications on our scope of registration, I could gain significantly financially out of this, but as a professional aviator with a passion for the industry this stinks.