Prepare for riveting action at National Aircraft Competition

7 October 2023

Ten high-performing aircraft engineers and engineers-in-training will test their skill and knowledge at the WorldSkills New Zealand Aircraft Maintenance Competition in Christchurch next month. One will be bestowed the title of “New Zealand’s Best Young Aircraft Maintenance Engineer”.

This is a free public event which runs from 9.30am – 4.30pm and is hosted by the Airforce Museum of New Zealand, at Wigram on Fri 3 and Sat 4 November.

Carl Rankin, GM of WorldSkills New Zealand says the WorldSkills New Zealand Aircraft Maintenance Competition is an exemplar of well-managed competition.

“Our New Zealand Aircraft Maintenance Competitions are intense high-energy events for competitors and spectators,” he says. “They are also valuable avenues for successful skill promotion and recruitment, industry-specific skill development, benchmarking, and resilient sector-building.”

“Competitors, supporters, industry representatives and trainers come from provincial and urban centres and work across civilian organisations and the armed forces. Experience and perspective are brought together under one roof.”

Over the two days, competitors will work their way through a series of modules under the scrutiny of industry experts and in full public view at the Airforce Museum of New Zealand in Wigram. Each module, designed to meet NZ industry and international competition standards, is an authentic simulation of real-world activity demanding technical expertise, attention to detail, decision-making and the ability to work under pressure.

In tandem with the national competition, visitors can take part in hands-on activities and investigate and put questions to the onsite career and training professionals from NMIT, Air NZ academy, Service IQ, and the Defence force. Visitors will also have free entry into the Air Force Museum of New Zealand where they can engage with 100 years of history at the birthplace of New Zealand’s Air Force.

Following the national event, age-eligible Aircraft Maintenance national winners have a chance to be selected to compete in the 47th WorldSkills Competition in Lyon, France in September 2024. This international competition is expected to attract 1500 competitors under 23 years of age from 85 nations to benchmark their professional abilities in more than 60 trades.