Springfield teen sets his sights on aviation

For one Springfield Central State High School student, the morning of released ATAR results was a little less stressful than others. 

There wasn’t too much riding on Will Cody’s results after he had already been offered a place in his first-choice program, Bachelor of Aviation.

The aspiring commercial airline pilot said his early acceptance into University of Southern Queensland was like Christmas had come early. 

“I have wanted to be a pilot since I was a child, and USQ seems to be the best way to achieve that dream,” he said.

“USQ offered the best program of aviation I could find, and the Springfield campus is right down the road from where I live.”

The early acceptance came as a relief to Will after he weathered the pandemic storm during his final years at school.

“My overall experience at school was really enjoyable but I did find it stressful at times with the lockdown situations and final exams,” he said.

“Fortunately, my teachers were very attentive and offered a lot of their time during the lockdowns which made the adjustment to online learning easier.”

More than 300 students received an early offer from the University across a range of faculties, including nursing, education, engineering and business.

The early offer system assessed student’s academic results throughout school as well as a principal’s recommendation.

Students can also receive an early offer by successfully completing a ‘head start’ course.

Will said he couldn’t wait to start university after having his heart set on a career in the skies for a very long time. 

“I am looking forward to the independent study as I enjoy the responsibility of taking care of my own studies,” he said.

“My dad and pop both wanted to become pilots, but they never got the opportunity to live their dream.

“I am incredibly grateful to be able to attend university and share the experience with them.”

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