Competition is expected to be fierce for places on Australasia's first cadet-pilot training programme for passenger jets, launched in Hamilton on Friday.
Jetstar believes that up to 20,000 applications will be received for 70 places on the courses in this country and in Australia.
Graduates will be guaranteed a job flying for the budget airline Jetstar.
The trainees will come from New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and Vietnam and will be trained in the first year to fly Airbus A320s.
The programme will be shared by two aviation training providers, CTC Aviation Group, a British company with its New Zealand base at Hamilton Airport, and Oxford Aviation Academy Group in Melbourne.
Career path offered for first time
While there are similar training programmes overseas, it is the first time there has been a partnership between an airline and trainers in Australasia.
CTC New Zealand chief executive Ian Calvert says students will be offered a career path in aviation for the first time.
Jetstar operations manager Mark Del Pra says training young pilots from scratch means the recruits follow the Jetstar way from day one.
Other CTC clients include European airlines such as discount carrier easyJet.
