Griffith aviation students claim more than half of Virgin Australia cadetships

Griffith aviation students have claimedthe majority ofVirgin Australia pilot cadetships announced for 2019.

Of the 16 cadetships on offer, 10 Griffith Aviation students were announced for next year’s intake into Virgin Australia’s Pilot program from the most applications ever submitted.

The 13-week assessment process for the program involved a range of skills-based and theoretical testing including interviews, reference checks, personality profiling, computer-based learning and examinations.

Griffith Head of Aviation Associate Professor Gui Lohmann said the results obtained in 2018 was a great testimony of the quality of the aviation students that Griffith attracts and recognition of the education they received as part of the Bachelor of Aviation program.

“Apart from learning from excellent lecturers with real world experience in aviation, Griffith University offers the students the Aviation MATES program, developing a number of critical industry skills such as leadership, communication skills, resilience and teamwork,” he said.

Virgin Australia Fleet Training and Cadet Manager, Nathan Burkitt said “we’re very pleased to be welcominga number ofGriffith University’s most promising students to the program”.

“Some of our most talented pilots have come to us via Griffith’s Bachelor of Aviation program and I have no doubt this group will all have bright futures ahead of them,” he said.

Inez Leggett, who has just finished her Bachelor of Aviation at Griffith, will take up the cadetship next year to complete the flying component required to start working in the industry.

“It’s amazing to have such an impressive number of Griffith aviation students be awarded so many of the positions on offer,” she said.

“The Griffith aviation MATES program gave me leadership and presentation skills essential for being successful in my application for the cadetship.”

“It’s such a fantastic opportunity because it offers a direct pathway into commercial flying, whereas it’s common to spend 5-10 years building up flying hours in the outback or elsewhere,” Griffith aviation student Anthony Hill said.

“It’s literally a direct entry into one of the major airlines and I’m very lucky to have that opportunity.”

The Virgin Australia Pilot Cadetship program takes place over 54 weeks in South Australia at Flight Training Adelaide, where the cadets will learn from the best in the industry and graduate with a Commercial PilotLicence. Upon graduation of the program they will be offered a role as a First or Second Officer with Virgin Australia.