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.

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.