GSE Technician

As a GSE Technician you’ll be a member of the ground crew, jointly responsible for maintaining the ground-based mechanical equipment required to support RNZAF aircraft operations. Your duties will include the routine maintenance of a range of motor vehicles. In addition you’ll repair and maintain refuelling equipment, ground power units, hydraulic rigs, hoists and other small engine equipment.

As your career progresses, you’ll be given greater responsibilities in managing aircraft support equipment. As a GSE Technician you’ll be required to perform military command and leadership duties as a team leader. You may also be appointed as an instructor.

This is a highly skilled and varied job and your training will be some of the most thorough and advanced in the world. Your courses and training are aligned with the National Qualifications Framework. As you progress in your career and complete your training, you will qualify for the National Certificate in Automotive Engineering (Heavy) Level 4 after around three years.

Aeronautical Engineering Course

 

As a first step you will need to complete the full-time 17 week Aeronautical Engineering Course with NMIT.  This is undertaken privately and is a prerequisite to joining the RNZAF. Areas covered on the Aeronautical Course include:

• Aircraft construction materials
• Aeronautical drawing interpretation
• Sketching and mathematics
• Aeronautical workplace safety
• Quality management principles
• Aeronautical spare parts
• Hand and machine tool use
• Maintenance documentation and publication use
• Component removal and installation
• Aircraft systems and principles of flight

Your NMIT Course fees will be reimbursed to you when you commence your RNZAF Aircraft Mechanic Training Course.

 

Recruit Course

 

Upon successful completion of the Aeronautical Engineering course you will then join the Air Force. You’ll be posted to RNZAF Base Woodbourne (near Blenheim). Here you’ll do 12 weeks of basic military training to find out if you’ve got what it takes to be in the Air Force, and learn various
subjects including:

• Organisation and Administration
• RNZAF Customs and Protocol
• Drill and Parades
• Military Field Skills and Weapon Training
• First Aid, and Search and Rescue Techniques
• Physical Fitness

 

RNZAF General Service Technician (GSE) Training

 

After recruit course, if you don’t have a Certificate of Entry to Automotive Trade (CEAT) prior to enlisting, you will complete one through full-time study at UNITEC Auckland. You’ll then return to Woodbourne for two to three weeks to enhance your skills in technical administration and the use of fuels, oils and lubricants specific to the GSE trade.

 

 If you already have a CEAT, you will start advanced trade training immediately. This takes the form of an apprenticeship towards NZQA-accredited NCAE (Heavy) under the Motor Industry Training Organisation (MITO) scheme and takes around three years to complete. In conjunction with NCAE training, you’ll also complete all classes of driving licences required for the specialist vehicles you will maintain (up to and including Class 5) and additional training targeted at specific aspects of maintaining aeronautical support equipment.

You must be 17 years or older and have a minimum of 12 NCEA Level 1 credits in English, Mathematics and Science or Design Technology. Certificate of Entry to Automative trades an advantage. Restricted Class 1 Manual Licence essential, Full Class 1 preferred