12/06/2026
Two Year 11 students from Bowen. One wants to engineer rockets. The other is already training for his pilot's licence. ✈️
Neither of them would have access to Aerospace Systems without a teacher based more than 200km away.
Thomas and Jake are students at Bowen State High School. Thanks to the Queensland Virtual Academy (QVA), they're studying a subject that would simply never have run locally. Their teacher, Joel, delivers the class virtually from Northern Beaches State High School - Townsville, connecting with students across Queensland each week.
For Thomas, the motivation is right on his doorstep. Gilmour Space Technologies spaceport sits near Bowen, and he's set his sights on aerospace engineering. For Jake, every lesson feeds directly into the real-world training he's already doing.
‘Studying Aerospace Systems gives me a strong foundation in aviation knowledge, which directly links to my current training for my pilot's licence,’ says Jake.
‘It helps me understand concepts related to aircraft, flight, and aviation systems, which makes my practical flying training more meaningful.’
The learning goes beyond textbooks, too. Joel recently took the class on a virtual excursion to Aviation Australia's training facilities at Brisbane Airport. Students explored a real hangar live via camera and Teams while an industry instructor walked them through the flight preparation process for a Boeing 717. 🛩️
For students in regional Queensland, experiences like that aren't a given. QVA is changing that.
‘The best part of learning with the Queensland Virtual Academy is the opportunity to study subjects that may not be available at my school,’ Jake says.
‘It allows students like me to access specialised courses, which directly connect to my interests and future goals.’
Their parents are on board, too. The arrangement fits around existing timetables with minimal disruption, while opening doors their local school couldn't open on its own.
The QVA is an initiative designed to increase all students' access to curriculum pathways, learning opportunities, and teaching expertise across the state. Stories like Thomas and Jake's are exactly what it looks like in practice. 🌏
The sky's the limit, boys! 🚀
