'It's more than stick and rudder skills': an aviation professional development community of practice

Abstract

In Australian higher education institutions, benchmarks have been directed at developing key competencies and attributes to facilitate students' transition into the workforce. However, for those students whose degree has a specific vocational focus, it is also necessary for them to commence their professional development whilst undergraduates. Familiarising students with the norms and culture of their chosen profession often does not occur through passive observation of subject content. At Griffith University in an undergraduate aviation degree, a community of practice has been established by the school, which develops student's generic skills and their identity as novice professionals. Our research examines the ways in which Mentoring Aviators Through Educational Support (MATES) provides students with the opportunity to develop their professional competence and experience through connecting with other undergraduates and industry professionals.