A brand new generation of women aviators found their wings this month at RAAF Base Amberley.
Over two weeks, 31 participants from across Australia took part in the Royal Australian Air Force's Aviation Program for Women through the Defence Work Experience Program. The program aims to inspire young women to envision a career in the Air Force.
The initiative gives them the opportunity to gain work experience and exposure to life on base through unit tours, interactive and static displays, and briefs from aviators on current roles and training opportunities.
Throughout each four-day program, participants were introduced to more than 50 Air Force roles at RAAF Base Amberley, ranging from catering and engineering to air traffic control, and even possible future roles in unmanned aircraft support for the MQ-28 Ghost Bat.
In one of the programs, participants had the opportunity to fly in a C-27J Spartan. In the other, they observed the aerial refuelling of a C-17A Globemaster III from a KC-30A multi-role tanker transport.
'I've always wanted to be a pilot, and being able to test my skills was such a cool experience.'
For 15-year-old participant Brooke, the highlight of her week was taking over the controls of a fast jet in one of 82 Wing's EA-18G flight training simulators.
"I've always wanted to be a pilot, and being able to test my skills was such a cool experience," Brooke said.
"When I pulled a loop in the simulator, the pilot who was training me said it was actually one of the best loops he'd ever seen. I couldn't stop smiling. It made it feel like I could really do this."
The Aviation Program for Women demonstrates Air Force's commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce. It provides a direct link to current serving members and recruiting specialists, offering insights into their backgrounds, experiences and pathways to their current roles.
Program coordinator Flight Sergeant Melissa Krause said she is consistently inspired by the confidence and curiosity that each cohort of new participants brings to the program.
"These young women are smart, capable and eager," Flight Sergeant Krause said.
"Watching their faces light up through each different unit as they realised there were so many different career pathways available was a reminder of the importance of investing in the next generation of women."
As the program came to a close, its success was reflected through the excited remarks from young women ready to take to the skies.
