Nilai International University College (NUC) launched its Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering programme on 29Nov 2007. The ceremony was officiated by the Director-General of Department of Civil Aviation, Malaysia, Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman.One of the key speakers at the ceremony was Peter Farrow. He is the Chief Executive of Air Services Training (Engineering) Ltd, United Kingdom (AST). Upon receiving the appropriate approvals, AST will be working closely with NUC as an external examiner for the much-vaunted European Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) Part 66 Category B1-1 examinations. Successful NUC students will therefore benefit from having both a Diploma as well as an internationally recognised qualification in the stringent quality assurance environment of aviation.
We caught up with him during his visit to NUC’s award-winning 105-acre campus. He went to great lengths to spell out why his organisation is entering into a partnership with NUC.
How would you describe AST’s role in the partnership with NUC?
Basically, it is to look at the syllabus NUC has put together and we will advise NUC on any issues that may be important; in particular, the Part 66 Licence syllabus. And of course, once the appropriate approval has been given, to deliver the approved European Aviation Safety Agency examinations to students undertaking the diploma at NUC.
You flew 6,000 miles just to be here for the launch. How important is this tie-up with NUC for your organisation?
It’s very important. AST has always had worldwide reach. We’ve always conducted training for international organisations and we’ve had a very large interaction with the Malaysian market since the 1970s. We see this as the natural extension to what we do. We deliver the approved courses in Scotland but it is also important that we take our training delivery out to host nations so they too can benefit from Part 66 training in their own territory. As such, it is particularly important to find the right partner in that country who can aspire to the highest standard required. The AST campus houses around 100 students and demand far exceeds supply. By using other campuses in other organisations around the world, it enables us to offer the training and approved examinations to far more students. Nilai UC meets all these criteria as it has a campus that includes accommodation as well as the proper teaching facilities for conducting this programme.
Is this arrangement between AST and NUC the first of its kind? Will you be seeking to have more similar arrangements in other countries?
It is not the first of its kind but is rather unique. At the moment, AST has tie-ups with other organisations in other countries. Principally though, those are airline’s maintenance organisations who wish their staff to have the Part 66 training and qualifications. However, this is the first time that we have tied the Part 66 with an academic award programme. In a lot of the other organisations, we are teaching the existing engineering staff. What we are looking at here in Malaysia with NUC is the fact that we have fresh school leavers with no experience. They will be the new engineering staff of the future for many of the airline maintenance companies. This is good because rather than recycling current engineering staff, we have a strategy for producing new aircraft maintenance engineering staff.
Please describe what benefits will AST bring to this partnership.
AST was formed in 1934 and since that time we have trained about 15,000 engineers from the entire world. So AST has a long history of in aeronautical engineering, in particular in terms of licencing. What we can bring to this partnership is our reputation of quality and excellence. We also provide the training materials and the expertise that will guide NUC and help them through the early stages. And obviously as we move through this process, NUC itself will gain an expertise. Ultimately, we are hoping that in partnership with NUC we can also offer similar courses to other areas in the Asia Pacific region. So there are benefits for both partners as AST has its reputation, training materials and approvals while NUC is an education institution of great standing within Malaysia and in the region. Like AST, it is independent of any other controls and has an international student body, so really the two organisations sit very well together.
How can you persuade parents that this Aircraft Maintenance Engineering programme is a viable option for their child?
Basically, there are three routes to Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, particularly to licencing. There are students who like to take the Approved Course where they will do two years on an Approved Course and then two years of maintenance experience, then move onto licencing. There those who like to take the sort of programme we have here at NUC, which is a Diploma award programme with the licencing exams as well. There are those who gain employment in the industry and try picking the job as they go a long. Now given that the Approved Course is a very expensive option for many, I feel that the course NUC is delivering here is going to be very useful in that it will give students the necessary skills and knowledge. The NUC programme is a faster track into the industry and it also means that when these students get to the shop floor and hangars, they will have some pre-existing knowledge that they can apply. So I say to parents whose child has decided to go into engineering, in particular the area of aeronautical engineering, this programme offers the best of both worlds. It has academic rigour and will have the benefit of the Part 66 Category Aircraft Maintenance licence examination (pending approval). It is one of the ideal routes to get into the industry.
The EASA Part 66 Category B1-1 qualification is obviously a key selling point of NUC’s programme. How would you stress this aspect to potential students?
EASA is the legal body within Europe that legislates against all aviation matters such as air traffic control, aircraft maintenance, pilots and so on. EASA has brought what is possibly the newest and best licencing system into being. It is aimed at today’s modern aircraft and it doesn’t matter whether they are large airliners, small corporate jets or even some general aviation. It is a certification qualification that is very much of the moment. It is up-to-date. The EASA Part 66 along with the Part 1 for Maintenance is rapidly becoming the world standard for licencing. Thus many countries that align itself with the UK’s British Civil Aviation Regulations (BCAR) system are now converting to the EASA system. It has wide appeal in countries such as China and virtually throughout the entire Asia Pacific region, certainly a lot of the Middle East countries and Europe.
Not only does it add quality and an appropriate standard to the training here, it gives students the opportunity to work outside Malaysia. It is a worldwide industry and this is a worldwide qualification.
As an external examiner, your organisation obviously gives this programme extra credence. Please elaborate.
AST is the approval holder. So AST is approved by the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, and of course, by default, EASA. So our role is to make sure that the standards and quality of the exams are consistent and that they represent a fair and accurate description of a student’s level of knowledge. AST and NUC may in the future also decide to move into some delivery of approved training here and perhaps some other areas such as pilot ground school training. This is really just the beginning.
There is a shortage of qualified Aircraft Maintenance personnel worldwide. Why is there such a gap given that most industries will reflect the demand and supply?
The reason for this shortage is two-fold. The industry was in a very slight downturn at the time of Sep11. Also in the Asia Pacific region, there was the SARS epidemic while in the UK there was an outbreak of foot and mouth disease. All these didn’t help the tourism industry and as such, the industry that was already experiencing a slight downturn was driven much deeper into that downturn. Additionally, there was not necessarily the demand for world travel at the time. What we have seen now is an industry in recovery following those tragic events but also an increase need for aviation travel particularly in the Asia Pacific region. The shortage is two-fold as the existing engineer’s age is getting higher and many airlines did not engage in any training of engineers during the downturn. Coupled with the increase in air travel, there is now a huge demand for aircraft maintenance personnel.
In which countries is the demand particularly high?
China has expressed a need for 210,000 aircraft maintenance workers in the next five years. That is an astounding number of jobs. Singapore may be a small country but Singapore International Airlines has 90 aircraft in their fleet. India is also seeing an exponential increase in air travel. Aircraft orders from India for Boeing and Airbus planes are absolutely breathtaking. The Middle East is another region that has shown tremendous growth.
Why would you recommend NUC’s Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering to students and parents?
The main drive is the fact that it does match the Part 66 syllabus, so it gives students a good understanding of the standards of Part 66. (Upon approval) it offers them the ability to take the approved examinations which is an obvious bonus. The programme also offers practical training on operational aircraft. There are many diploma courses that don’t do that and are purely theoretical courses. Most engineers will tell you, a person cannot read a book and be an engineer. In NUC’s Diploma programme, students will be graduating with grease under their fingernails that will allow them to put into practice their theoretical knowledge.
How would you describe the graduate’s prospects?
In the short term, they will find themselves readily employable principally because they will be offering any potential employer a thorough grounding in aircraft maintenance knowledge. With all the Part 66 modules, graduates only need to meet the work experience requirement before they can apply for the engineering licence to be issued. In the longer term, if they opt to do the Bsc degree, graduates can look towards moving into supervisory and managerial positions.
How would you describe the remuneration rewards in this industry?
In most parts of the industry, the salaries for Aircraft Maintenance Engineers would be of a very high order. Good quality engineers with the right certification at the moment are difficult to find. Thus the remuneration is very high for these engineers.
In your expert opinion, what is the best aspect of being involved in this industry as an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer?
It is a very dynamic industry. Even the oldest aircraft has the most modern avionics on board. If a person in interested in engineering and aviation, it means they will work with some of the most modern technologies seen anywhere. It gives them the opportunity to assimilate knowledge and gain expertise when an unusual aircraft fault occurs; they can quickly, efficiently and safely sort that out. It is a great buzz to see a plane you have certified as air worthy take off and later the pilot reports that it worked like clockwork. It is a very rewarding career.
