Smooth flight to civilian jobs for retiring air force servicemen

BUTTERWORTH: Soon-to-retire Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) personnel now have a direct route into civilian aerospace jobs under an initiative led by Australian firm TAE Aerospace.

TAE Malaysia Services head Raymond Bissett said the company recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ex-Servicemen Affairs Corporation (Perhebat) to recruit and train military personnel preparing to leave service.

Bissett said the initiative opens the way for retiring servicemen to make the transition into aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul roles, while building on skills acquired during their military careers.

He said the partnership forms part of TAE Aerospace’s long-term plans in Malaysia, as the company establishes a military engine overhaul facility at the RMAF base in Butterworth.

“We chose Penang because for many of our regional customers Malaysia is centrally located. Apart from that Penang is close to our major Malaysian customers,” he told reporters during a media visit organised by the Australian High Commission.

Bissett said TAE Aerospace ultimately wants its facility at RMAF Butterworth to become a regional hub for military (aircraft) engine maintenance, serving customers across Southeast Asia and beyond.

“Imagine a map of the world. You put a dot on Malaysia and draw concentric circles outward. The first circle cuts through Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand – all countries with military customers.

“Then you draw another circle that includes the Philippines, India and Taiwan, all of which we have worked with before. The difference is that freight costs come down, turnaround times improve, and because of that, business volume should increase,” he said.

Bissett said the facility is expected to employ around 50 Malaysians in its early phase and will eventually support both military and civilian engine maintenance.

He said all personnel involved would require training and would initially be sent to Australia before parts of the Australian operations are later relocated to Malaysia.

Under Perhebat, military personnel approaching retirement can opt to spend six to 18 months preparing for civilian employment through training, industry placements or direct recruitment opportunities.

Bissett said many military engine technicians are close to meeting civilian aerospace certification requirements, making the transition easier than training entirely new recruits.

For Mohamad Zabidi, who is among the first batch of servicemen joining TAE Aerospace through the programme, the move allows him to remain in a field he has worked in for years.

“In the military, we follow many rules. But we are already used to discipline, so it is not difficult,” he said.

Zabidi previously served as an engine section supervisor in the RMAF and said the transition has been relatively smooth because the work remains largely familiar.

“The difference is that we will do depot-level maintenance in TAE. I just need to learn a little bit more, but the basics are the same,” he said.

He said he had initially planned to pursue a different course under Perhebat before learning about TAE Aerospace’s programme.

“I chose the building sector at first. Then TAE made an offer, and I came here because I could see a future in it. I’ve spent years in this field. It didn’t make sense for me to move into something completely different,” he said.

Another participant, Mohamad Zafifi, who has served nearly 21 years in the armed forces, described the transition as both emotional and exciting.

“There is some sadness about leaving the armed forces after spending so long in the military, because it has been a big part of our lives, but I am grateful because I can already see what comes next,” he said.