The idea of the life of a flight assistant as we imagine it, never dies: often and happily taking to the skies, constantly employed in the modern nomadic lifestyle taking you from airport to airport. In the collective imagination scenes from Hollywood films like Catch Me If You Can persist, where often the hostesses are marvellous creatures and the flight personnel are nothing less than the likes of Leonardo Di Caprio. Their dynamic and rebellious lives, alternating racing at 1000 km/h with staying in luxury hotels. Is it really like this? We certainly don’t mean to destroy a myth, but as ever, we hope that the pages of our website can support productive reflection on the choice of a path in which we could identify ourselves in years to come.
A career in aviation is certainly evocative and romantic, and it is unlikely that anyone who has the fortune of a career at high altitude would change it for another. It is just that it is different from what you see in the films. Working in civil aviation requires sacrifice and persistance. Flying means abiding by protocols and codes in a continuous and constant manner. It seems the hierarchies are as important as they are in areas such as shipping vessels or restaurants of high rank. Flight assistants are continually undertaking periods of study and refresher courses. These are not necessarily aspects intended to discourage its pursuit, on the contrary, aviation is perfect for those who love a life in constant movement, and above all for those who would feel suffocated sitting behind a desk. The flight assistant is a waiter who has rebelled against the laws of physics, and decided to practise on the border between the troposphere and the stratosphere.
Working in aviation to get a permanent residency
In Australia, you can study aviation at University to pursue a career with broad opportunities for growth. To qualify as a flight attendant, however, you do not need a degree, but vocational certification is available. We should warn you, however, that migrating to Australia as a flight assistant is very difficult for anyone who has not accrued work experience in their own country.
Why is it difficult to stay in Australia as a flight assistant if you get the Qualification in Australia? The Profession of flight attendant is only on one of the three lists that make up the Skilled Occupation list, the one called ROL, that is Regional Occupation List. This means that it is at least theoretically possible to get sponsorship if an airline operating in regional areas nominates you, and subsequently convert it into a permanent visa. If you undertook your studies in Australia, however, and even though it aligns with the prerequisite of the qualification, there is the problem of not having work experience, which is difficult to accrue with an airline on a temporary visa.
So, in summary, pursuing a permanent visa through this Profession can prove to be complicated, but it makes sense to discuss it with an immigration agent and evaluate your specific case. For anyone wanting to learn, however, there are courses and they are based on the ICAO International Civil Aviation Organisation standards. This means that the Australian qualification also enjoys international recognition, especially in Commonwealth countries, even though obtaining the qualification does not equate to any sort of national qualification outside Australia, like for instance the Italian one, the certificate of Cabin C. (CC) which could possibly be obtained also in Italy.
Qualification: Certificate III in Aviation
Skill Level: 3
Profession: 451711 Flight Attendant
Course program: https://training.gov.au/TrainingComponentFiles/AVI/AVI30119_R1.pdf
Description: this course generally lasts six months and consists mostly of units AVI/TLI, which refer to the application of specific procedures and protocols in the field of aviation and customs clearance. There are 4 optional subjects available where the student can decide whether to delve deeper into other technical aspects or include concepts of superior customer service, a choice which is recommended if you choose an institute like William Angliss, competent in the field of flights and synonymous with excellence.