By
Rebecca Codey
Volume 48, No. 10, June 15, 2006
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LOUD
AND CLEAR: Aviation maintenance concerns have been heard
at the first tri-Service WOE conference. Pictured is LAC
Chris Nielsen from 77SQN.
Photo by LAC David Gibbs.
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A
FORUM involving Warrant Officer Engineers (WOEs) and their Service
equivalents from across the ADF has proved a vital tool in Air
Force’s bid to map the road from today’s technical workforce
to the Air Force of tomorrow.
The inaugural WOE Forum was developed by Project Vulcan, Air Force’s
Technical Personnel Capability Management Review team. This full
time team is responsible for defining the technical competencies
needed to support the next generation of equipment entered into
service by 2015 and beyond.
Formed in August 2005, Project Vulcan is addressing key areas
for improvement as identified by the Aviation Maintenance Capability
Review Team (AMCRT) report in 2004.
The findings of the AMCRT report saw the creation of the ADF Aircraft
Maintenance Improvement Project (AMIP).
Project Vulcan has been allocated five of the priority issues
that could impact the framework of the future technical structure.
Analysis of maintenance staffing, supervision, and technical mastery,
are among the priorities.
The forum, held in Newcastle on June 28 and 29, saw WOEs from
Air Force join their Navy and Army counterparts to discuss challenges
and share local solutions and expert knowledge.
Project Vulcan team member WOFF Cary Thompson said the forum,
facilitated by the Air Force Adaptive Culture Team, was a great
success, with the support from all three Services proving this
is a priority matter ADF-wide.
It also confirmed that many of the issues affecting Air Force’s
maintenance workforce are similar to those of the Navy and Army’s
aviation maintenance workforces.
“Very importantly we were reassured that Project Vulcan’s
current initiatives meet with the reality of the aviation workforce,
that the concerns of those at the coalface are the same issues
we are working to address,” he said. “We can progress
with confidence.”
According to WOFF Thompson, airmen and women, sailors and soldiers
within the ADF aviation maintenance workforce can rest assured
that their concerns have been heard.
“The Project Vulcan team appreciated the valuable input from
such a broad spectrum representing so many Defence technical personnel,”
he said.
The forum is likely to become an annual event, with support for
this initiative widespread.
For further information, go to: http://intranet.defence.gov.au/raafweb/sites/
ProjectVulcan.
