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The USTH signed a training cooperation agreement with Vietnam Airlines Corporation and Vietnam Aircraft Engineering Company (VAECO) for 2024-2026 on Tuesday.
Aviation engineering students at USTH, after completing a three-year program at the university with 180 credits, will spend about 10 months studying and practicing at VAECO to obtain a B1 and B2 certificate in aircraft maintenance technology.
VAECO is currently the only organization approved by the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority to train and issue B1/B2 certificates in Vietnam.
A B1 license focuses on airframes and engines while a B2 license is related to instrumentation and electronic equipment. Holders of category B licenses are involved in all the necessary repair and maintenance tasks of an aircraft. Those having the certificates are eligible to maintain the following types of aircraft: Airbus A350, A330, A320/321; Boeing B787, B777; and ATR72.
USTH is currently the only university to cooperate with the aviation businesses in this program.
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Representatives of Vietnam Airlines, Vietnam Aircraft Engineering Company, and the University of Science and Technology sign a cooperation agreement on March 5, 2024. Photo courtesy of the university. |
Pham Minh Hiep, Deputy General Director of VAECO, said that students at the school only take about four years to both have a bachelor's degree and a B1/B2 certificate, thanks to the new agreement.
Normally, students have to spend five years studying at the university, then two more years studying at the company to get a certificate.
"Studying aviation engineering at USTH now takes three years less. This model is useful for both businesses and students, saving costs," he said.
Owning a B1/B2 certificate helps new graduates increase job opportunities and salary.
Speaking to VnExpress last May, Ta Minh Trong, director of Flight Safety Standards at Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, said that personnel in the field of aviation engineering receive a salary of VND15-20 million (US$606-808) at the basic level.
Those with a B1/B2 certificate who can take responsibility to say the aircraft is in good shape to operate can earn up to VND50 million per month or even more, he said.
The aviation engineering program at USTH was established in 2018 with the financial support from Airbus Group, comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam Airlines and VAECO, the French Aerospace Institute, and an alliance of more than 30 universities and research institutes from France.
The goal is to train high-quality human resources in the field of aircraft maintenance and repair, meeting the strong development of Vietnam's aviation industry.
To date, USTH has been training six classes of aviation engineering graduates. VAECO recruited 15 students from the first class.
"The number is not high, but their quality is very good. They are rated as proficient in foreign languages and professional," said Hiep.
Nguyen Chien Thang, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Airlines, Chairman of the VAECO Members' Council, said the cooperation with the university can help meet the increasing demand of personnel in aviation industry in the coming time, especially with the upcoming Long Thanh airport.
