Qantas officially opened its Engineering Academy in Brisbane on January 20, 2025, and welcomed the first batch of 30 students.
The Qantas Group said the Academy will train the next generation of aircraft engineers through a training program developed by Qantas and Aviation Australia. The program is designed to increase the number of apprentices that can be trained each year to 150 students.
The first batch of apprentices will have the opportunity to undertake simulated practical tasks in a controlled environment that mirrors working in a hangar, alongside their theory and classroom training. They will also learn through on-the-job training under the supervision of experienced Qantas engineers.
Qantas said that female students are expected to make up a quarter of engineering apprentices starting this year, up from 18%in 2023. In total, the Qantas Group will have more than 250 engineering apprentices in training across Australia this year, up 45% the previous year.
To further enhance the apprentices’ learning experience, QantasLink will donate its last Boeing 717 aircraft to officially retire (with registration VH-YQW) to the academy.
“Qantas has trained aircraft engineers for many decades around the country and the Academy will play a vital role in equipping the next generation of aircraft engineers with the practical skills and expertise needed to sustain and grow our industry, ensuring we meet the increasing demand for a highly skilled aviation workforce,” Qantas Domestic CEO Markus Svensson said in a statement.
“We have hundreds of new aircraft on order for the Qantas Group and with the new fleet comes further opportunities to invest in our people, their training and also recruitment to ensure a steady and diverse pipeline of engineering talent in Australia,” Svensson added.
Svensson also said that QantasLink’s donation of the B717 is an important milestone in delivering an updated training that will boost apprentice numbers.
“Following more than two decades of service in the Qantas Group, it’s fitting that this aircraft will continue to contribute to Australian aviation history,” he added.
““Working in partnership with Qantas, the Academy will draw on our shared engineering training expertise to deliver a world-class program which will provide technical training and job-ready skills for generations of engineers to come,” said Aviation Australia CEO, Glenn Ryan.
The Qantas Group said it will create 8,500 new operational positions across Australia over the next decade and make significant investment in new training facilities to support the recruitment of these team members.
The Engineering Academy in Brisbane builds on the group’s existing training facility in Queensland alongside the Group’s Pilot Academy in Toowoomba, along with a heavy maintenance and pilot training center at Brisbane Airport (BNE).
