Paramount Aerospace Systems, a subsidiary of aerospace and technology company Paramount Group, has moved its technical aviation academy 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.

Paramount Aerospace Systems is currently enrolling aviation students for the July 1 intake.

The three-year aviation technician course offered by Paramount’s Technical Academy comprises training across the mechanical technician and avionics technician trades.

Mechanical training is conducted on all aspects of aircraft, from the airframe, hydraulics, piston engines, turbine engines, undercarriage and pneumatic systems to the fuel systems.

Avionics training certification equally covers all aspects of an aircraft’s avionics, including aircraft instruments, electrical systems, radios and navigation systems.

Throughout the programme, students are taught contemporary and comprehensive theoretical subjects followed by on-site, practical exercises to apply each specific module.

A forecast recently published by aircraft manufacturer Boeing reports that over 27 000 new technicians will be needed in Africa by 2038.

Further, Paramount Aerospace Systems states that newer aircraft will require different skills to maintain as compared to legacy aircraft; however, both are still in widespread use on the continent and globally.

Demand for aircraft technicians has been exacerbated by the outbreak of Covid-19, wherein numerous internationally-certified aviation maintenance technician schools suspended operations.

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.

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.”

He 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.