Commissioners Information Bulletin 353
Issued: 22 April 2008

Aviation - New and varied recognised trade and traineeship vocations in the aviation industry

At the request of Manufacturing Skills Australia (MSA), the Commissioner for Vocational Training has established four new recognised trade vocations in the aviation industry and varied the Vocational Training Orders (VTOs) for five existing recognised trade vocations.

The Commissioner has also established a new traineeship vocation in the aviation industry and varied the VTO for the existing recognised traineeship vocation.

The new trade and traineeship vocations are established under section 5 of the Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship Act 2001 and the relevant VTOs made under section 6 of the same Act.

Vocational Training Order Standard Format

The VTO in each instance specifies:

Trade vocations

At Attachment A are copies of the VTOs supporting the new recognised trade vocations of:

• Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (Avionics) Advanced
• Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (Mechanical) Advanced
• Aircraft Surface Finishing
• Aircraft Surface Finishing, Higher

At Attachment B are revised VTOs for the existing recognised trade vocations of:

• Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (Avionics)
• Aircraft Mechanical (Avionics)
• Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (Mechanical)
• Aircraft Mechanical (Mechanical)
• Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (Structures)

Traineeship vocations

A copy of the VTO supporting the new traineeship vocation of Aircraft Surface Finishing is at Attachment C.

A copy of the VTO supporting the existing recognised traineeship vocation of Aeroskills is at Attachment D.

MEA07 AEROSKILLS TRAINING PACKAGE

The MEA07 Aeroskills Training Package covers the aviation maintenance sector of the Australian aviation industry. The sector covers aviation maintenance activities performed by:

• Civil aviation maintenance organisations operating under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) airworthiness regulatory system, including major airlines, regional airlines, general aviation, third party aircraft maintenance organisations and component maintenance organisations; and
• Australian Defence Force (ADF) aviation maintenance organisations that are operating within the ADF airworthiness regulatory system, including the three Defence Forces and civilian contractors maintaining ADF aircraft and aircraft components.

The MEA97 Training Package was endorsed in September 1997 and covered the occupational fields of avionics, mechanical and structures of the aircrafts at Certificate II and Certificate IV levels.

The revised MEA07 Aeroskills Training Package integrates the CASA licensing requirements and transitional arrangements now available and specified in Civil Aviation Order (CAO) 100.66. This CAO enables industry to access licensing arrangements for specific type aircraft (types operated by airlines) that have been aligned with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) licensing system. Appropriate adjustments have been made to units of competency and training pathways to accommodate these new CASA licensing arrangements.

Appropriate adjustments have been made to units of competency and training pathways to accommodate these new CASA licensing arrangements.

MEA07 has been extended to include aircraft surface finishing at Certificates II, III and IV levels. Coverage has also been extended to include maintenance management at Diploma and Advanced Diploma levels in both ADF and CASA regulatory systems.

The MEA07 pathways include four new units that will also be imported to the MEM05 Metal and Engineering Training Package for use in proposed aeronautical and avionics Diploma and Advanced Diploma pathways in that Training Package. These new units are:

• MEA349A - Apply basic scientific principles and techniques in aeronautical engineering situations
• MEA272A - Apply basic scientific principles and techniques in avionic engineering situations
• MEA350A - Select and test aeronautical engineering materials
• MEA273A - Select and test avionic engineering materials.

Qualifications framework

For the purpose of the new and revised VTOs, aviation maintenance apprentices in New South Wales can now gain the following qualifications:

• MEA30107 Certificate III in Aircraft Surface Finishing
• MEA40607 Certificate IV in Aeroskills (Avionics)*
• MEA40707 Certificate IV in Aeroskills (Mechanical)**
• MEA40807 Certificate IV in Aeroskills (Structures)
• MEA40907 Certificate IV in Aircraft Surface Finishing
• MEA50107 Diploma of Aeroskills (Avionics)
• MEA50207 Diploma of Aeroskills (Mechanical)

* aligned to both the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (Avionics) and Aircraft Mechanical (Avionics) trades.

** aligned to both the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (Mechanical) and Aircraft Mechanical (Mechanical) trades.

For the purpose of the new and revised VTOs, aviation maintenance trainees in New South Wales can now gain the following qualifications:

• MEA20407 Certificate II in Aeroskills
• MEA20607 Certificate II in Aircraft Surface Finishing.

Units of competency

The packaging and combination of the minimum number of units required for the trade pathways are outlined at Attachment E.

The packaging and combination of the minimum number of units required for the traineeship pathways are outlined at Attachment F.

Industrial arrangements

Trades

Apprentices are covered by the AP765552 Aircraft Engineers (General Aviation) Award.

Employers can be respondent to the Award or members of an association that is a respondent to the award such as the Australian Industry Group. In addition there may be other company specific Enterprise Agreements or other employment.

Traineeships

Employers who are members of the Australian Industry Group have access to the provisions of the National Training Wage Award 2000 as currently amended.

Note - Applications under the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 to establish any traineeship or apprenticeship will not be approved unless the Commissioner is satisfied that appropriate industrial arrangements are in place.

Vocational Education in Schools

MSA has recommended MEA20407 Certificate II in Aeroskills as suitable for delivery as a school based traineeship.

For school based part-time traineeships currently being delivered in New South Wales, refer https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/vetinschools/traineeships/sbt/traineeships.html

MSA has advised that the trade vocations are not recommended as suitable for delivery as school based apprenticeships.

The new MEA50107 Diploma of Aeroskills (Avionics) and MEA50207 Diploma of Aeroskills (Mechanical) have been specifically designed to provide training pathways meeting new Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) licensing requirements relevant to maintenance engineering work for larger aircraft / airline operations.

Learning resources and assessment materials

MSA will make available to Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) the updated version of the Log of Industrial Experience and Achievement. The Log will support delivery of training and assessment programs for achievement of a wide range of MEA07 Aeroskills Training Package competencies and qualifications. Significantly for example, the Log will also be used to record training, experience and competency achievement needed to meet CASA requirements for an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence.

TAFE NSW has advised that they will offer training and assessment programs supporting achievement of MEA07 qualifications.

Availability of Registered Training Organisations

A list of RTOs in New South Wales who can deliver training from the MEA07 Aeroskills Training Package may be found on the National Training Information Service (NTIS) web site: www.ntis.gov.au

Funding and Incentives

At its August 2007 meeting, the NSW Board of Vocational Education and Training endorsed the establishment of Diploma and Advanced Diploma level Apprenticeships where there is demand in line with current industry based arrangements.

In July 2007, the NSW Board of Vocational Education and Training commissioned an independent review of funding for apprenticeship and traineeship training in New South Wales. While Diploma and Advanced Diploma qualifications may be approved for delivery as apprenticeship or traineeship pathways in New South Wales, the Board endorsed the review’s recommendation that eligibility for their funding be approved on a case by case basis.

Some targeted Diploma and Advanced Diploma qualifications attract financial assistance for eligible employers from the Commonwealth Government. Details about this assistance are available at http://www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au/employer/incentives.asp or from an Australian Apprenticeships Centre: telephone 13 38 73.

Note: This Commissioners Information Bulletin supersedes Bulletins 45, 81, 167 and 210.

For any enquiries regarding this CIB, please contact the Vocational Training Tribunal Unit on (02) 9266 8579.

PHILLIP MOORE
Commissioner for Vocational Training