A new Higher Apprenticeship has just been launched (20 April 2013) which aims to widen access for a new generation of airline pilots and reduce the financial burden upon the individual.
This marks a first for the aviation industry – namely a new Higher Apprenticeship and work-based skills framework leading to a degree, that will give professional status to trainee airline pilots. The apprenticeship allows would-be pilots to fund their training through UK Government loans and grant support, helping to reduce the significant financial barriers to becoming a pilot for many.
In recent years commercial pilot training has become notorious throughout the world for its high costs and no guarantee of relevant employment at the end of training.
So what is the new Higher Apprenticeship?
Specifically, the new qualification is: Level 6 Apprenticeship Framework with Degree and Pilot’s Licence
Which organisations are behind the Higher Apprenticeship?
Launched at the FLYER Professional Flight Training Fair, Heathrow, London, on 20 April 2013, the Level 6 Higher Apprenticeship in Professional Aviation Pilot Practice (HAPAPP) has been led by the Aviation Skills Partnership (ASP) with Semta and People 1st working with professional bodies such as the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators (GAPAN), the British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA)and the General Aviation Awareness Council (GAAC).
The course has been devised in close collaboration with the airlines and the integrated course flight training organisations in England (CAE/Oxford Aviation Academy, CTC and Flying Time Aviation) who will deliver the technical elements.
Three versions of the scheme have been developed to meet the needs of the industry as well those of independent students, and the formal launch means that detailed plans can now be finalised for the first enrolments which could be as early as July this year.
The first students are expected to enroll on the scheme from July 2013 and more details, including information advice and guidance for budding pilots can be found at aviationskillspartnership.com or contact Alison Arnot, 07834 781211 or email: alison.arnot@aviationskillspartnership.com
The development work for the Apprenticeship was supported by the National Apprenticeships Service (NAS) through Round 2 of the Higher Apprenticeships Fund.
The programme has the support of the UK Skills Minister, Matthew Hancock MP, who said: “Opening up a new route for young people to fulfil their dreams of qualifying as a pilot is further proof that Apprenticeships are fast becoming the route to highly paid and coveted jobs. It is our ambition to make it the norm for school leavers to either go to University or do an Apprenticeship. Higher Apprenticeships like this are crucial to making that a reality.”
David Way, Executive Director, National Apprenticeship Service, added: “This Higher Apprenticeship will enable aviation firms to diversify their traditional workforce and to attract and invest in talented young people.”
The launch of the HAPAPP has also been welcomed across the aviation industry. Ray Elgy, Head of Licensing and Training Standards at the CAA, and Chairman of the HAPAPP Programme Board said: “This apprenticeship programme will greatly benefit the aviation industry in both the long and short term. Airlines will be able to draw upon a new generation of talent to fill future flight decks, while a broader recruitment pool will add a diversity of background and experience to their operations, which can only be a positive. The CAA is proud to have been part of the initiative behind this scheme and looks forward to issuing licences to the first graduates.”
He added, “I should like to pay tribute to those who have contributed to the success of this initiative. We have been able to draw upon the expertise from a broad base of the industry, with support from GAPAN, GAAC, and BBGA, as well as the National Apprenticeship Service, ASP, Semta and People 1st. Airlines and the three UK integrated course flight training organisations have also been instrumental in the development of the Apprenticeship framework.”
Benefits for airlines and individuals
ASP’s Chief Executive Officer, Simon Witts, who, with Frances Cambrook, Project Director for the government funded HAPAPP project, has been the leading force behind the new HAPAPP, said: “What is now on offer to airlines and potential recruits is one of the most attractive routes to train to be a pilot, with students being able to gain access to a fully recognised educational framework also opening up full university-level loan and grant support. This means that the barriers to entry for the people who have the right skills and passion have been reduced, opening up access and creating more opportunities to equalise some of the diversity gaps in the industry. I am very proud to see it come to fruition and pay tribute to the many people who have worked to create it.”
Changing the culture of pilot training
Frances Cambrook also noted, “Changing cultures is never easy and this initiative has achieved just that, a completely new way of looking at how pilots can be trained and their achievements recognised within the mainstream educational system. It has been hugely challenging but very rewarding to support the industry in addressing their skills needs in this sector, and to see the opportunities for talented aspiring pilots begin to open up through the Higher Apprenticeship.”
Browse a full range of aviation jobs at www.aviationjobsearch.com
Related posts: