The Qantas Group’s new Pilot Academy officially opened at Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport in Queensland, Australia on Wednesday 29 January.
The academy has the capacity to train up to 250 pilots each year and aims to address the ongoing pilot shortage by building a long-term talent pipeline for Qantas, Jetstar and QantasLink. The facility comprises a 1,500 square metre hangar, four flight training simulators, classrooms as well as purpose-built pre-flight briefing and flight scheduling areas.
“Opening our new Pilot Academy is a historic moment for Qantas, for aviation in Australia and for the thousands of future pilots who will learn how to fly here in Toowoomba,” said Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce.
He added: “Without the Queensland Government and the Wagner Corporation, it would not have been possible to get these world-class training facilities built and open for students so quickly.”
The academy also aims to increase the proportion of female and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pilots in the industry.
“When we announced the academy, we said we wanted to tap into a broader, more diverse talent base. Through our scholarship program we’re encouraging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, women and regional students to pursue a career in aviation to ensure the pilots in the cockpit better reflect the diversity of those sitting in the cabin,” continued Joyce.
The facility welcomed its first 34 students earlier this month, with 100 students expected to be in training by the end of 2020. Eventually it is hoped as many as 500 students will be training at both Toowoomba and Mackay – the preferred location for the second Academy site.
An economic booster for the region, construction of the academy has already resulted in around 100 jobs while supporting an additional 300 jobs along the construction supply chain. And with the academy eventually training 250 pilots per year, up to 160 jobs will be created in training and support roles.
“Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport has fast become a nationally strategic and important piece of infrastructure and we are proud that the airport and surrounding Wellcamp Business Park has been an enabler for regional growth, securing more opportunities for education and employment and being seen and utilised as a hub for Queensland and our region,” said Wagner Corporation Chairman, John Wagner.
