Birdies swoop on maint diplomas

FRONT (L to R): LEUT Unwin, LCDR Burley, CAPT Di Pietro (COS-AVN), Professor Chen (RMIT), Mr Bailey (RMIT), WOATV Davies; REAR (L to R): CPOATA Moore, CPOATA Johnston, CPOATA Murray, CPOATV Woods, CPOATA Campbell, CPOATV Williams, CPOATV Mc Guinness, CPOATV Morsch, POATV Simeon, POATV Winkler, CPOATV Edwards, POATA Burns, CPOATA Denman, CPOATA Trapp

By LEUT Duane Unwin

Diplomas of Aeronautical Engineering — Maintenance have been awarded for the first time to graduates of the new CPOATT-AT course.

The first two courses, held in Melbourne late last year, were co-conducted by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and the RAN.

The diplomas were presented by Vice Chancellor of RMIT, Professor Nelson Chen, and COS-AVN, CAPT Vince DePetrio.

The graduation represented the culmination in the shift of technical training towards a competency-based scheme.

The presentation also marked the successful association between RMIT and the RAN, in the delivery of aviation technician training.

The coupling of the Navy’s advanced technical training continuum and RMIT’s aerospace engineering curriculum is the result of years of hard work.

The training continuum is designed to provide the RAN with CPO’s who can undertake the duties of flight senior maintenance sailor (FSMS). Such duties require high levels of professional competency, foresight and flexibility.

It could be argued that the position of FSMS is one of the most arduous tasks that can be given to a non-commissioned officer in the ADF.

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