ENGINEERING APPRENTICE TRAINING PROGRAM

AND INFORMATION SHEET

Entry Criteria
Completion of schooling to Year 11 with passes in Maths and English. A pass in
Physics is desirable.
Training at the Wagga Wagga Engineering Base
Training will consist of hands-on experience covering all aspects of maintenance both
Engine & Airframe and Electrical, and, Instrument systems and components on a fleet
of modern turbine-engine aircraft. Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers will carry
out supervision. On successful completion of the four-year apprenticeship, candidates
will be classified as Aircraft Maintenance Engineers.
Academic Training
This is done at the Padstow TAFE institute in New South Wales on a block release
basis, and is completed in the first three years. The blocks normally consist of five
two- week periods per year. However, sometimes there are just one-week blocks,
depending on topic length. TAFE training consists of both theory and practical work
and TAFE staff will advise apprentices whenever specific items of safety clothing or
footwear are required. Travel to and from Sydney will be by REX at the companys
expense.
Accommodation Whilst At TAFE
Accommodation and food is normally the responsibility of the apprentice. Regional
Express offers accommodation for apprentices whilst away at TAFE to relieve the cost
burden to the apprentice.

Probationary Period
New employees serve a probationary period of six months with monthly review
appraisals.
Working Hours
Working hours at Regional Express are from 8:00 am till 5:30pm Monday to Friday.
Lunch is from 12:00 till 12:30 and afternoon tea is from 3:00pm till 3:15pm. There is
no formal morning tea, but tea or coffee can be made in the hangar and taken to the
workplace for consumption. A coke and chip machine is also available, as is cold
water.
Travel To and From Work
Apprentices will need to organise their own transport to and from work, as no public
transport is available.
Additional Study
Regional Express expects that all their apprentices will eventually become Licensed
Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (LAME). To achieve this, a considerable amount of
additional study must be done in order to pass the necessary exams, which are set by
the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Each exam has a pass mark of 75% and
costs approx $130.00. A few of these exams can now be done at the TAFE
immediately following the completion of the corresponding TAFE module (2nd and
3rd Years only). The majority, if not all the CASA exams, could be completed during
the period of the apprenticeship.
Verification of practical experience is also mandatory before CASA will issue a
Licence, and is shown by the completion of appropriate Schedules of Experience.
The pay difference between an unlicensed person and one who is fully licensed is
quite large and as such provides a very good incentive.
Please note that the CASA exams are additional to the TAFE module exams.