Mick Sorrenson knows the benefits of receiving on-the-job training. An engineering cadet 35 years ago at Boeing Aerostructures Australia, he is now the company’s Managing Director. 

“I came in straight out of school. One of my first jobs was assembling helicopters for the Army at that point in time,” he says. 

“If you're passionate about aerospace, it becomes all-encompassing and all of a sudden you realise you've been here for 35 years and not ever really thought about having to change because you love what you're doing.” 

Boeing Aerostructures Australia is Australia’s only designer and manufacturer of advanced composite aerostructure components for commercial airplanes.  

Based at Melbourne’s Fishermans Bend, the company has a long heritage in Australian aviation that began with its legacy companies in 1927 and has included the manufacture of aircraft which served in the Royal Australian Air Force during World War Two. 

According to Mick, many advanced manufacturing industries turned away from the importance of apprenticeships a few decades or so ago to focus on tertiary education, but have realised the necessity at a time of skills shortages and changing demographics.  

“We focused heavily on growing the talent pipeline of engineers and tertiary educated, as we were able to take advantage of the skilled trade workers available from other industries in our region, such as the automotive industry – but we need to develop both sets of skills to ensure we have great innovators or aircraft designers, as well as someone who can build our products,” he says. 

“We see a lot of opportunity as a company and as a nation in investment and developing trade-based workers. And Boeing is very proud to be able to take that step forward with our aerospace apprentices.” 

The female-only apprenticeship program provides a Certificate IV in Aeroskills and is ideal for early or mid-career females. 

Aprille is one of the participants who has been given an opportunity that previously would have been out of reach. She was always interested in following her dad’s footsteps in the industry but after finishing Year 12 studied visual communication at university.   

“I've always been really interested in aviation. It's always been something that I've wanted to pursue. However, I never really saw a pathway or had the opportunity,” she says. 

“When I saw this opportunity come about, I really jumped on it because it is an experience of a lifetime.”

“These opportunities weren't really presented to me at the time where I was looking for a career path in school. I really wish that they were because it's such an amazing experience.” 

In her apprenticeship Aprille has been able to learn the foundations of safe, quality work and hand skills, drilling and other procedures in the training centre’s workshop before getting on the shop floor.

“It's really great to actually be in a workshop, actually experience what it would be like working at Boeing,” she said. 

“We didn't really know what to expect at all when we came in here. It all seemed really surreal. We are making planes for the whole world to fly on.”  

Aprille is now proud to be flying the flag for female apprentices in the industry. 

“One of the reasons I really wanted to do this apprenticeship is to represent the females in the trades community as it is a more male-dominated field. It's amazing that we have this program. It's really opening up trades in aviation to other genders.” 

Mick says this program was driven by not only a need to change the demographic but also demand.

“People were saying ‘how do we join Boeing?’ so we've been working with our female apprentices, our team and work environment to create a culture that is welcoming and a workforce that is more representative of the community – we’re on a journey,” he says. 

Over the last 18 months Boeing has welcomed 15 female apprentices and plans to grow that number to 40 apprentices of all genders over four years.  

 “Our current female apprentices are best placed to share their experiences about what it’s really like to study and work in a trade role, young females need to see it, to be it.”

“The more broadly we can spread the message, the more we can get into schools and actually show young females this is a career path you might want to consider, the better–and not hear that from someone who has been in the business for 35 years but from a 19-year-old apprentice.”  

Boeing in Australia has close to 44 apprentices currently in programs in Melbourne and across its other sites in Australia across commercial and defence programs. 

“We have many careers within Boeing across Australia or internationally. You can go in there and spend your entire career in that trade,” Mick says. 

“The apprenticeships give us a great starting point and a great grounding for those new employees to figure out what Boeing is all about, where they might want to go in the longer term.” 

The most important lesson apprentices will learn, though, is the need for safety and quality in the workforce. 

“For us, safety always comes first. And having that mindset, with a focus on quality and attention to detail is essential in the business we are in.”

“It's a great industry, we have a lot of fun along the way. Aerospace is great, so get in there, get as much experience as you can, broaden out your skills and your network and enjoy a long-term career with Boeing.”  

Boosting Business with Career Services

Businesses highly value the role of career services in creating a high performing and efficient labour market. 

Following feedback that a current lack of adequate career services is having a negative impact on the labour market, and after extensive consultation with members and stakeholders, the Victorian Chamber released our Boosting Business with Career Services Policy Paper. 

The Paper delivers 29 recommendations to improve the future of careers services nationally, ensuring that every Australian can access the support they need to thrive in the workforce of tomorrow. 

The full paper and recommendations can be read via the Career Services Policy Paper.