Deputy Premier’s Visit to Aviation Australia at Essendon Fields Demonstrates Victorian Government’s Commitment to Grow Aviation Industry Skills and Training
Essendon Fields, Victoria – July 10, 2025
The Hon Ben Carroll, Deputy Premier and Minister for Education, today toured the new headquarters of Aviation Australia at Essendon Fields, demonstrating support for the organisation’s expansion and its commitment to addressing the aviation industry’s critical skills shortage.
Aviation Australia is the largest provider of aviation training in Australia and recently expanded into a significantly larger training facility at Essendon Fields Airport. The move supports growth in the delivery of national and international training programs across aircraft line maintenance, cabin crew, piloting and remote piloting.
The Deputy Premier welcomed the opportunity to visit Aviation Australia and acknowledged the organisation’s contribution to addressing workforce shortages in the aviation sector.
“We are proud to back our students with diverse vocational and academic pathways so no matter what you want to be when you leave school, Victoria has a pathway for you to achieve it.”
“Our VCE Vocational Major is the biggest reform to senior secondary schooling in a generation. More and more students are choosing the Vocational Major to learn the hands-on skills needed for in-demand areas such as aviation, health, construction, engineering and agriculture – the careers that are driving the future of Victoria.”
Essendon Fields CEO Brendan Pihan said Aviation Australia is a significant tenant at the airport, with benefits extending across the national aviation industry. He noted the expansion aligns with the airport’s strategy to grow jobs and industry capability onsite.
“Essendon Fields is committed to growing jobs in Melbourne’s northwest and developing facilities that can accommodate business expansion. We are pleased to have delivered a new training facility for Aviation Australia, doubling their footprint on site to address an industry-wide aircraft engineering shortage. We congratulate Minister Carroll and Aviation Australia for coming together at this new facility to discuss opportunities to work more closely to promote engineering training opportunities, apprenticeships and new remote piloting training programs.”
“Essendon Fields offers a unique mix in Australia of airport operations, providing real-world aviation experiences, a growing base of aircraft repair, maintenance and overhaul facilities, and an unbeatable location just 13 kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD with direct freeway, tram and bus access. This means students from across the region can easily access training.”
In Victoria, Aviation Australia delivers Certificate II, Certificate IV and Diploma programs from its expanded Essendon Fields facilities. The new campus supports increased student capacity and enables the organisation to meet growing industry demand while delivering long-term aviation workforce solutions.
Industry forecasts indicate worldwide demand for aircraft maintenance engineers will exceed 700,000 by 2043. Aviation Australia’s remote piloting programs are also expected to support the rapid growth of drone operations, which are projected to reach approximately 60 million flights annually in Australia by the early 2040s.
Aviation Australia CEO Glenn Ryan thanked the Deputy Premier for the visit and welcomed opportunities to collaborate with the Victorian Government on future training initiatives.
“Our recent expansion at Essendon Fields marks a strategic leap forward not just for Aviation Australia, but for the broader Victorian aviation sector.”
“With the industry facing a critical national skills shortage and an estimated 60,000 years of experience set to retire over the next decade, the pressure to build a sustainable talent pipeline has never been greater. As flight volumes return to pre-COVID levels, Aviation Australia is well positioned to lead the response by delivering future-focused training and supporting the workforce needs of today and tomorrow.”
For more information:
Kylie Hine
Aviation Australia
Email: [email protected]
Website: aviationaustralia.aero
Nadia Salajic
Essendon Fields
Email: [email protected]
Website: ef.com.au
