Explore career options in aviation
Here you can find information on the career outcomes in aviation.
You can also discover where to look for job vacancies, as well as professional associations, mentoring and international opportunities.
Opportunities
The Bachelor of Aviation is a two-year, accelerated degree that allows you to progress more quickly into an aviation career or flying training. The content of this degree focuses on the science underpinning the theory and practice of aviation, and includes courses in navigation, safety management systems and the human factors in aviation. You will also be able to apply the skills acquired in your degree to many areas of the aviation industry such as management and research.
The Qantas Group Aviation Career Enrichment (Q-ACE) Program) is open to all Bachelor of Aviation students and provides students with mentoring from experienced pilots during their degree. Graduates of the Q-ACE may be selected to transition to employment with QantasLink.
Career fields
- Airlines (major and regional)
- Charter operators
- Aero clubs
- Civil Aviation Safety Authority
- Air rescue services
- Agricultural aviation services
- Aerial sightseeing
- Aerial photography and surveying
- Airline management
- Air freight services
- Airport operations
- Defence Forces
Employment roles
- Air operations officer
- Air traffic control officer
- Aviation planner
- Airfield defence guard
- Test pilot*
- Logistics engineer
- Operations controller
- Simulator instructor
- Aircraft maintenance planner
- Operations manager
- Aircrew first officer*
- Flying instructor*
- Company pilot*
- Commercial pilot*
- Airline pilot*
*Denotes further study at postgraduate level likely to be required
Occupation snapshot
Employed
1,600
Future demand
Moderate
Weekly earnings
$2,906
Part-time share
17%
This data is based on the occupation profile for air traffic controllers retrieved from the Government's Jobs and Skills Australia, Seek and YourCareer websites August 2024.
Your employability
In addition to knowledge and skills directly related to your program of study, you will also develop a range of other skills such as teamwork, analytical, communication through academic study, employment, voluntary work, sporting and recreational activities and life experience.
Recognising the value employers place on these skills is an important factor in your graduate job search. You can further develop your employability with these resources:
Vacancies
Information on relevant vacancies and career resources can be found in a wide range of sources:
- CareerHub
- Prosple (formerly Grad Australia)
- GradConnection
- Department of Home Affairs careers
- Australian Public Service Jobs
- Brisbane City Council vacancies
- Australian Local Government Directory
- Queensland Government jobs
- Queensland Government Graduate Portal
- Queensland Police careers
- Seek
- Australian Defence Force careers
- Air Services Australia job search
- Boeing Australia
- Civil Aviation Safety Authority Careers
- Flight Global
- Adzuna aviation jobs
Notable alumnus: Captain Jan Becker AM
Captain Jan Becker AM, CEO of Becker Helicopter Services, is a trailblazer in aviation and healthcare, combining her roles as a helicopter pilot and midwife. She co-founded the largest helicopter pilot training academy in the Southern Hemisphere and has been instrumental in emergency response coordination and pilot training. Recognised with an Order of Australia Medal, she also founded a midwifery training clinic in Tanzania, significantly impacting maternal and neonatal health.
Job application resources
Craft a stand-out resume and cover letter, and learn how to prepare for job interviews.
Approach potential employers
Many work opportunities are not advertised, so we recommend approaching potential employers with the aim of researching their needs and how your skills, experience, interests and qualifications could match theirs.
This is called informational interviewing and will benefit you by:
- clarifying your specific career direction
- enhancing your professional network
- increasing your chances of being offered a job.
Industry outlook
The Your Career website includes helpful information such as job descriptions, employment prospects, average weekly earnings and skills requirements. Every job title in the database has a skills section to help you identify and describe essential skills for your future career.
The My Future website also has job descriptions and a useful career insight section.
The Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching website has up-to-date information on graduate salaries, especially the Graduate Outlook Survey (GOS) National Report, which contains undergraduate salary figures.
More detailed information is available at the Labour Market Insights portal.
Professional associations
Joining a professional association is a great way to interact with people in your field who can assist you to explore your career options and potentially find employment opportunities. These associations hold regular professional development and networking events:
- Australian Federation of Air Pilots
- Aerial Application Association of Australia
- Australian Army Aviation Association
- Australian Women Pilots' Association
- International Federation of Airline Pilots' Associations
- Civil Air - Air Traffic Control Australia
Students are welcome to join and often receive a discount on their membership.
Mentoring
The award-winning Industry Mentoring Program provides an excellent opportunity to further develop your employability and build professional networks.
The program is available to students with more than 80CP as well as recent graduates.
Further careers information
Careers counselling
Individual career counselling sessions are available to all current students and recent graduates.
You can book an initial appointment via CareerHub.
Career planning
Our website has an array of career planning resources you can explore at any stage of your student journey.
Career Readiness
Check out our Career Readiness site in Learning@Griffith for additional information and resources for your career development learning:
Similar career options
Please note: The content on this webpage is a guide only. Please refer to degree-specific information and accreditation requirements of your profession on the Degree and Course Finder website and with the relevant professional accreditation body for your degree.