New In The Job

…in Aviation Training.

What’s the appointment? John Cassidy has begun his role as industry training adviser for the Aviation, Tourism and Travel Training Organisation (ATTTO).

What’s the job he is leaving? Mr Cassidy left his position in the United Nations as chief projects planning and training within the aviation section in Haiti.

What exactly does an industry training advisor do? The position requires introducing businesses to ATTTO qualifications, which are NZQA approved in order to maintain quality assurance over a number of sectors in the aviation industry.

So what got him interested in the role? Having been involved in the training side of several missions within the UN, because he had mainly been doing operations prior within the Royal New Zealand Air Force, John quite enjoyed the training element of the job. Finding the ATTTO site purely by accident helped set his sights on the industry. He was contacted about the position that was coming up and became instantly interested. “This current position is more oriented in operations because you’re out amongst the industries and trainees. It balanced out the training that I enjoy with aviation, which was my experience.”

What kind of work does this new position require? As the new industry training advisor Mr Cassidy encourages aviation businesses to incorporate ATTTO qualifications, along with supporting them and their trainees to recognise and achieve unit qualifications through completing unit standards. “It’s quite a dynamic and enjoyable role; you’re dealing with positive people in the aviation industry and trying to mentor trainees to achieve their qualification goals.”

Where has he worked previously? Mr Cassidy’s aviation career has taken him to many places across the globe, holding positions as a service manager over the summer season in Antarctica, a military observer in Syria in South Lebanon for thirteen months, and missions in the Timor jungles. His last role in New Zealand was more staff oriented for technical policy in Wellington, “but I’m more operationally focused, which is what brought me to grab a position at the UN.”

So how did he move from there into the Aviation industry? His career in aviation started early through school where he was encouraged to give the Air Force a go where he joined as an aircraft technician and then as an engineering officer. From that point Mr Cassidy went on to pick up several qualifications including a New Zealand Certificate in Engineering at the Central Institute of Technology based in Heretaunga, and an Associate Diploma in Aerospace Systems at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology doing cross training between mechanical avionics and armaments. “I didn’t really know much about aircraft but it was my parents who encouraged me to give it a go, and the rest is history.”