Africa MRO boost as Joramco supports Aerojet academy launch

Aerojet  signed the deal with the Joramco Academy  the aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul school to support the establishment of Aerojet Aviation Training Academy -  the first of its kind to offer advanced studies in aircraft maintenance in Ghana and the Sub Region.

Joramco‘s Academy is 15 years old and has provided comprehensive aircraft maintenance training courses. It offers internationally valid qualifications, which meets the knowledge requirements of IR Part 66 licensing in category B. The courses are accredited by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), in addition to the Jordan Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (JCARC) and the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (UKCAA).

Aerojet Aviation was established in 2016 to address the lack of MRO capabilities in Africa, which is hampering the development of air transport industry across the continent, and where there is great potential for growth. The academy is part of a larger project, prioritised by the Government of Ghana, which will see the establishment of a fully equipped and staffed MRO Centre in Ghana.

In line with this ambition, the Aerojet Training Academy will give young Africans the opportunity to pursue careers in aviation, by providing excellent training facilities, resources and valuable work experience, the company said.

Joramco Academy experienced certified instructors will train Aerojet’s first batch of students, as well as local instructors who will be taking over in the academy under Aerojet’s own approvals when granted. The Joramco team will also support Aerojet in its preparation and subsequent applications for the relevant approvals from the Ghanaian authorities, EASA and FAA.

The four-year Aircraft Maintenance course is divided into both theoretical and practical training, with the aim of graduating the first batch of future aircraft maintenance engineers with the experience and confidence to immediately join the workforce at the Aerojet MRO Facility being established in Ghana.

Mazisi Parkes, Chief Executive Officer of Aerojet, said: “Aviation skills and knowledge training are integral to the Accra MRO Project and the eventual growth of the African aviation industry, and this is exactly what our training academy was set up to deliver.

“We are delighted to be working with Joramco on this. When you look at the growth of Joramco in the last few years it has been phenomenal, and we are keen to learn from their experience. But more importantly there are very strong synergies and alignment in goals between the two organisations which lends itself to this partnership.

“Our objective is clear; we work with partners that understand our long-term strategy and have an interest in helping us develop the aviation sector in Africa. I am convinced that both Aerojet and Joramco will be better for it in the coming years”.

Joramco CEO Fraser Currie said, “We are honoured to have been entrusted by Aerojet to establish an aviation engineering academy as part of their plan to develop a new world-class MRO facility.”

The new academy will be based at Aerojet’s homebase, Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana which is strategically located, with easy access to over 21 African countries within the range of a two-hour flight. It is to serve as a centre of excellence and its activities will begin in September 2022, with registrations already open for the first cohort of students, who are anticipated to begin their studies in January 2023.