Townsville Aviation Training Academy’s Jackson Curtis career took off straight from school where he started an eight-year career in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) as an Aircraft Engineer (Mechanical), working on Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
His role took him across Europe and the United States, where he gained invaluable international experience.
One of Jackson’s career highlights was contributing to the introduction of the CH-47F Chinook fleet into Australia, including delivering the aircraft and retiring its predecessor with a final flight to the Australian War Memorial.
Following his military service, Jackson applied his skills in the defence, rail, and mining industries, mentoring apprentices along the way.
His passion for training led him to complete a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE) and join Aviation Australia last year where is supporting the development of the next generation of aviation professionals.
Jackson, a father of two children, said being a vocational education and training teacher has provided a good work-life balance while still keeping him connected to what he loves.
“I enjoy the challenge of finding different ways to teach so each student can learn in a way that actually works for them,” Jackon said.
“I became a teacher to pass on the real-world aviation knowledge I gained and to help shape the next generation of engineers.”
“The most rewarding part of teaching is watching students build confidence and succeed in skills they once found challenging.”
The Queensland Government is encouraging ex-ADF members like Jackson to consider a transition to TAFE teaching as their next career move to share their vast knowledge with the next generation.
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The $2 million TAFE teacher recruitment drive is an election commitment of the Queensland Government. This commitment and programs supporting teacher training and employment form part of Measures to Strengthen the VET Workforce, a joint initiative between the Australian and Queensland Governments.