Ten students from Rangitaiki College have been spending their Wednesdays at Whakatāne Airport participating in the Take Off course with JNP Aviation Training.

The opportunity came about through the school’s Gateway Programme, which is designed to help students explore options for their futures, allowing them to experience everything from air traffic control to carpentry.

Taupara Eruera, the Careers and Gateway coordinator for Rangitaiki College, said the JNP Aviation Training course provided students with valuable knowledge in the aviation sector.

He said it was important for young people to have practical experience on their CVs because employers often prioritised this over grades, which might not fully represent a person’s abilities.

The course aims to “subtly transition them to prepare to head into the workforce”.

The airport-based lessons are led by Joshua Payne, chief executive of JNP Aviation and JNP Aviation Training.

For Mr Payne, teaching at Whakatāne Airport is a surreal experience because this was where he began his career as a “rampie” 20 years ago.

“It’s a full circle moment and an honour to inspire all these young minds and inform them of all the different types of jobs in aviation.”

Mr Payne said people often associated aviation jobs with pilots and flight attendants but there were many other roles that were just as crucial, such as front-of-house, aviation security, and back-of-house positions.

The JNP Aviation Training course is designed to provide students with hands-on experience across different aviation jobs.

The 10-week course consists of 10 lessons, with nine sessions at Whakatāne Airport and one session at Tauranga Airport, JNP’s home base, where students can inspect an ATR aircraft similar to those used by Air New Zealand.

Mr Payne said the course was 80 percent hands-on, providing students with practical training comparable to what they would receive on the job.

Upon completion, they earn 22 Level 3 credits and a micro-credential to include on their CVs.

“Even if they don’t pursue a career in aviation, they will gain valuable insights into the industry,” he said.

The course includes Year 11, 12, and 13 students from Rangitaiki College, but Mr Payne hopes to expand participation next term to include Whakatāne High, Trident, and other schools in the Whakatāne district.

Awards recognition meaningful for JNP Aviation owner

JNP Aviation was recently crowned the winner of the Tauranga Business Awards Excellence in Māori and Pasifika Business Award and runner-up – Supreme Business Award.

For owner Josh Payne, the recognition is incredibly meaningful.

“It reflects the strength of the Māori and Pasifika communities within our workforce, and the importance of creating pathways that are not only accessible, but genuinely supportive and relevant.

“We’re proud to stand alongside our learners and industry partners in building capability that reflects the diversity of aviation in Aotearoa.”

Founded in 2006, JNP Aviation started amongst the daily arrivals and departures of Whakatāne – and grew.

Originally a specialised ground-handling operation, it is now a key partner for major airlines such as Air New Zealand, operating across 10 regional airports and ensuring over a million passengers a year reach their destinations safely.

While the scale of the business has grown, the “Whakatāne way” of doing things remains the core of the company’s success.

With a workforce where 40 percent identify as Māori or Pasifika, JNP has turned cultural values such as whanaungatanga (kinship) and manaakitanga (hospitality) into a competitive advantage.

Recognising the aviation industry has a workforce problem – not enough trained ground crew and not enough pathways into the industry – Mr Payne launched JNP Aviation Training in 2021, which is opening doors for youth who may never have considered a career in aviation.

From ground crew roles to aeronautical engineering, the training is hands-on and practical, using real aircraft and direct mentorship.

While the recent awards are a welcome recognition of their hard work, Mr Payne said the real reward was seeing the local impact.