Training company Aviation Australia and air navigation services provider Airways New Zealand have formed a joint-venture to train new air traffic controllers.

The pair will open a new facility at Aviation Australia’s Brisbane training campus featuring total control radar and aerodrome simulators that will cater for international students, with Airways New Zealand to run ab-initio air traffic control courses.

The first students at the facility consisted of 24 men and women from the General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia (GACA), Aviation Australia and Airways New Zealand said in a joint-statement on Wednesday.

Airways New Zealand head of training Sharon Cooke said the partnership with Aviation Australia added to similar training partnerships in Dubai, Puerto Rico and China.

“Our track record in providing highly effective ATC training, combined with Aviation Australia’s wider educational portfolio, means this partnership is well placed for success,” Cooke said in a statement.

“Airways has a long history of providing training to GACA and has hosted its students in New Zealand for the past six years. We’re delighted that they will be the first students we host under this new venture in Australia.”

Aviation Australia was established by the Queensland Government in 2001 and trains avionics and mechanical technicians. Its chief executive Bill Horrocks said the joint-venture was one part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with Airways New Zealand.

“Aviation Australia is pleased to be working with Airways New Zealand on this important training programme and we are very proud of being able to partner with a great organisation such as Airways to deliver world-class ATC training,” Horrocks said.