news
The sky is the limit for these local students
The five students with McDermott Aviation HR Manager Chris Thomas (left) and Team Leader Tom Johnson.
FIVE local students have received a hands-on taste of helicopter engineering. Cooroy helicopter operator McDermott Aviation gave the students an introduction to a career in helicopter engineering as part of a national program aimed at boosting engineer num-
bers across the helicopter industry. McDermott Aviation owner, director and chief pilot, John McDermott, said the initiative was put together by the Australian Helicopter Industry Association (AHIA) and McDermott Aviation’s Cooroy facility.
“The aim of the initiative was to provide local students with an opportunity to get an introduction to a potential engineering career. “Each participant received a kit including high-quality tools and a sheet metal panel, and created a project with help from McDermott
Aviation Sheet Metal Team Leader Tom Johnson in a working helicopter maintenance hangar.” Local student Clancy McKenzie said it was a great day. “It was good to have some hands-on experience with one of McDermott Aviation’s
TL engineers. I am mainly focused on mechanical but it was good to look at the sheet metal side of the business and to have the workshop to ourselves (students) and to use all the different equipment.” Clancy, 15, is hoping to secure an apprenticeship with McDermott Aviation in the future after learning more about aviation engineering through a private tour of their Cooroy facility. “My dad met a guy at our local footy club who was going to Greece for a tour with McDermott Aviation for the fire season as an apprentice. “When my dad told me, I thought that sounded cool so we did some research on McDermott Aviation and found their HR email and contacted the HR team. “The HR team came back to us and invited us for a tour of the Cooroy facility. I was super impressed with the facility and that all helicopter maintenance was completed at the Cooroy location. “I asked if I could do work experience in the holidays and we organised that with the McDermott team.” Clancy said what attracts him most to a career in aviation engineering is the challenge.
“I like the challenge, I like working on machines at home, and I think working on helicopters would be great. My work experience week was great; I got to assist on a major refurb of one of the firefighting Bell 214B choppers. “I also like the idea that McDermott Aviation work internationally and all over Australia which is pretty exciting but I can still live at home. Since its inception in 1982, Cooroy-based McDermott Aviation has evolved and today owns and operates over 30 helicopters and employs over 100 staff worldwide. John said McDermott Aviation is the largest employer of aviation engineers in Australia and currently hosts the largest number of helicopter engineer apprentices nationally; however due to continued expansion, more engineers are required. “Next year, we are preparing our own Engineering Training Academy that will look to host local students and provide them with quality training and a career that can take them around Australia and the world but be based here at our Cooroy and Sunshine Coast Airport facilities.”
Need an accountant to empower your business and be a trusted advisor? Do you have all your business accounting systems in place? If not, this is a great time to get them up and running seamlessly. We offer complete business packages, from set up to ongoing monthly bookkeeping and reporting, so you can focus on more important things!
SERVICES INCLUDE • Accounting & Taxation • Superannuation & SMSF Advice • Bookkeeping & BAS • Business structure & Tax planning • Single touch payroll & Xero
Phone 5442 6727 3/11 Garnet Street, Cooroy
CHRISTMAS FAVOURITES ARRIVING INTO STORE
www.sunnycoastaccountants.com.au Cooroy Rag, 9 November 2022 - Page
3
