Low fares leader Jetstar has launched a ground-breaking new cadet pilot training program in Australia and New Zealand tailored to deliver well trained pilots into a career flying jet aircraft and help support the airline’s expanding pan Asian operations.

The Jetstar Cadet Pilot Training Program has been developed in partnership with two of the world’s leading pilot training organisations, Oxford Aviation Academy Group based in Moorabbin (Melbourne) and CTC Aviation Group plc based in Hamilton, New Zealand.

The partnership represents a major investment by Jetstar, one of the Asia Pacific’s fastest growing carriers, in the region’s future generation of highly trained airline pilots.

The program will offer successful applicants – to number up to 70 in its first year – on completion a career development path into Jetstar as an Airbus A320 pilot.

The Jetstar Cadet Pilot Training Program, which will accept its first intake of candidates in July 2010, will also make a pilot career far more accessible and affordable to skilled individuals through two distinct entry streams:

• Advanced Cadet Program (3 months): Successful candidates will hold a commercial pilots licence which is the basic qualification for all professional pilots;
• Ab-initio Cadet Program (18 months): Successful candidates may have limited or no flying experience, but meet Jetstar’s requirements for aptitude, quality and safety to enter a comprehensive training and development program.

Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Bruce Buchanan said the breakthrough new program and partnership with these leading pilot training suppliers would complement Jetstar’s other pilot recruitment activity and would supply a significant number of its future requirements for pilots.

“We anticipate up to 20,000 applications for this attractive new program which seeks to remove some of the traditional barriers to becoming an airline pilot, demonstrating the high demand to enter this highly skilled and sought-after profession,” Mr Buchanan said.

“Both Oxford Aviation Academy and CTC Aviation Group have worked with dozens of the world’s leading airlines across Europe, the Middle East and Asia with similar cadet pilot training programs, and will now introduce this efficient and proven model to the Australia Pacific region for the first time.

“Through our program, becoming a pilot need no longer be a pipe-dream for aspiring aviators as this key initiative provides a unique pathway for young people to enter commercial flying.

“The program’s establishment also represents a significant fresh investment by Jetstar in the region’s aviation industry to further grow and develop the skills and capabilities of a highly-skilled workforce.”

Mr Buchanan said the program will support Jetstar’s growth as a Pan Asian airline with its fleet planned to move beyond 100 aircraft over the next five years.

Oxford Aviation Academy Group Managing Director Anthony Petteford said: “We are honoured to be invited to partner with Jetstar to support innovation and encourage greater diversity of enrolment into airline pilot training throughout Australia and Asia Pacific.

“This new relationship with Jetstar is truly complementary to the 50 year heritage of Oxford providing ab initio cadet pilot training to airlines worldwide,” Mr Petteford said.

CTC Aviation Group Chairman Captain Chris Clarke said: "CTC is delighted to be chosen by Jetstar to partner in this great opportunity for young men and women to enter the airline profession.

“This highly valued partnership in the Australasian region reflects CTC's wide experience across the globe in the provision of the highest quality of training - adding to the many thousands of pilots that CTC has trained for airlines worldwide.

“We are sure that for Jetstar this will prove to be one of the most successful career development programmes in the region and it is certainly going to inspire and facilitate new entrants into the airline pilot profession. It is a further demonstration of Jetstar's innovative and progressive culture,” Captain Clarke said.

Jetstar Chief Pilot Captain Mark Rindfleish said Jetstar’s Cadet Pilot Training Program would allow candidates to enter from Australia, New Zealand, and also Singapore and Vietnam, where Jetstar has airline operations based.

“Jetstar will offer a first in our region by equipping and fully qualifying graduates of our Cadet Pilot Training Program to fly as a Jetstar pilot as part of our experienced pilot group,” Captain Rindfleish said.

“This is a big positive for our industry which we believe enhances the opportunities for people wanting a commercial aviation career by more effectively tapping into other talent pools, whilst supporting existing pilot training initiatives in our region.”

The initial intake is now open with positions to be equally shared through both Oxford Aviation Academy and CTC over the initial years of the program.

Cadet applications can now be made directly through Jetstar.com.