Paramount Aerospace Systems, a subsidiary to aerospace and technology company Paramount Group, has announced that its Technical Aviation Academy has strategically relocated to Wonderboom National Airport, adjacent to the company’s advanced aircraft manufacturing facility.
Paramount Group originally launched its technical aviation academy in Polokwane and has, from its inception offered internationally-recognised aviation courses to train Africa’s future aircraft technicians, as demand for these professionals continues to increase across the continent and globally.
For the next generation of young Africans looking for a career in aviation, prospective students of the Academy are encouraged to register and join for the July 1, 2021 intake.
The three-year aviation technician course offered by Paramount’s Technical Academy encapsulates training across the Mechanical Technician and Avionics Technician trades, respectively. Mechanical training is conducted upon all aspects of the aircraft, from the airframe, hydraulics, piston engines, turbine engines, undercarriage, pneumatic systems, to the fuel systems. Avionics training certification equally covers all aspects of the aircraft avionics sector; namely, aircraft instruments, electrical systems, radios and navigation systems, as but examples.
Throughout the programme, students are taught contemporary and comprehensive thought theoretical subjects followed by on-site, practical exercises to apply each specific module.
A forecast recently published by Boeing reports that over 27,000 new technicians will be needed in Africa alone by 2038. Moreover, newer aircraft will require different skills to maintain as compared to legacy aircraft, however, both are still in widespread use on the continent and around the world.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the aviation sector contributed $63-billion to the gross domestic product of African economies and supported 7.7-million jobs, according to Paramount Aerospace Systems.
Numerous internationally certified aviation maintenance technician schools suspended operations entirely due to COVID-19.
Paramount Aerospace Systems CEO Brian Greyling suggests that, in the wake of a potential global economic upturn, these findings create a sense of urgency for the aviation industry.
“From our decades of experience in training aircraft technicians for air forces on the continent and around the world to our academy hosting modules that are tried and tested, practical and designed for direct application in meeting real world demand with accredited supply, Paramount will continue to offer Africa globally-recognised and highly-qualified training personnel.”
Greyling adds that there have long been deficits of talent from within South Africa’s aviation technician and maintenance, repair and overhaul industries, largely owing to insufficient training capacities in-country, which then resulted in a “brain drain” of qualified personnel.
“As we return to the skies at the precipice of Covid-19 recovery, Paramount looks forward to the opportunity to serve as a hub of high-skills learning and achievement from Pretoria, to provide hands-on instruction in educating the next great aircraft technicians of Africa,” concludes Greyling.
Our Aviation Academy is now open at Wonderboom Airport. We offer internationally-recognised Aviation Technician courses
Register now for the 1st of July 2021 intake! Get in touch: aviation@paramountgroup.com
