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Going from strength to strength with Babcock Australasia

Finding a career he’s passionate about has driven Babcock Australasia engineer Max Bridle to study for success, pursuing a three-year apprenticeship with Babcock to become a qualified engineer in our Offshore Aviation team, gaining his licence in April 2020.

Having heard good things about Babcock, Max decided to revisit a long-held ambition to complete an apprenticeship after moving interstate to the Northern Territory.

“I’d heard a lot about Babcock from contracting engineers and past workmates who were now working there. The range of aircraft and workplace locations were very appealing,” he said. “My managers gave me a lot of support to self-study a Diploma of Aeroskills while employing me as an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer.”

Max says he’s always been a mechanical person, having worked on engines with his dad as a child and, these days, racing cars in his spare time. His determination to pursue his long-held ambition to gain his engineering licence saw him through the challenge of gaining practical experience in specific tasks.

“It’s been a goal for a while now, as it’s a massive milestone in aviation and I wanted to reach that. It gives you a new level of responsibility and the opportunity to hone your skills and knowledge as an engineer,” he said. “Some tasks are uncommon or are at long intervals, so a task that was only performed every couple of years meant I had to arrange to be on site when it was happening. My managers also helped by bringing the task timeframe forward where possible, so I could be there at the right time.”

The most important thing Max has learned is to keep an open mind. He says that no matter how well you may know a system or an aircraft, there is always a time when you get a chance to learn more. “Working on complex machines presents its challenges at times, and it’s a good feeling at the end of a job knowing that you’ve gained more knowledge while carrying out the task required,” he said.

Persistence is another key element during the long term. “At times I thought I would never finish my log book, but staying focused will pay off in this area,” he said. “It can be a long path to gain a licence, but self-motivation and positive support from workmates will get you there. It is well worth the effort.”

And it’s more than the job that Max enjoys, with the social aspect being something he really appreciates, as well as the opportunity to travel. “I’ve met so many different people within the company,” he said. “Every person has a different story and it’s interesting to see how well we can work as a team,” he said.

His next aim is to undertake an Aircraft Type course for a specific aircraft. For anyone thinking about pursuing a career in aviation, Max’s advice is to jump in and do it. “It’s a very rewarding career. Aviation is a different industry to others, and it requires patience, in-depth understanding of systems and a strong work ethic, all of which are gained as your career progresses.”

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