The short answer
A Certificate IV, a Diploma of Aeroskills and a CASA licence are related but separate outcomes. If you already hold the trade qualification, the next step is to identify the licence or qualification you need, recognise relevant completed study, then plan the outstanding training. You do not need to guess which whole course to repeat.
Which result are you actually trying to achieve?
| Your goal | What to select | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| A formal diploma | A Diploma of Aeroskills in the appropriate stream. | The required qualification units, credit and remaining assessment. |
| A first CASA B1 or B2 licence | The category-training pathway for the intended licence. | Required units, CASA exams, practical experience and application evidence. |
| More privileges on an existing licence | An additional category, exclusion-removal or type-training pathway, as applicable. | The exact scope missing from your current licence; another whole diploma may not be the relevant product. |
The mechanical diploma, MEA50219, has training combinations aligned with the different B1 subcategories. The avionics diploma, MEA50118, aligns with B2 where the required knowledge, skills and Part 147 delivery conditions are met. The qualification document and the licence issued by CASA still do different jobs.
What changes beyond Certificate IV?
The trade qualification demonstrates competence in its selected maintenance stream. Diploma-level work adds the higher-level competencies relevant to the chosen outcome. The exact difference depends on the units you already hold and the target stream, so a generic “Cert IV plus a few exams” description is not a reliable training plan.
Mechanical
Choose the aircraft and engine category.
B1.1, B1.2, B1.3 and B1.4 are distinct subcategories. Fixed-wing turbine experience does not automatically demonstrate every helicopter or piston-engine requirement.
Avionics
Plan the B2 scope.
Review the electrical, instrument and radio-system competence you can demonstrate. A workshop history and an aircraft-maintenance history can leave different practical gaps.
If your goal is a narrow set of privileges, ask whether a modular licence pathway fits the work. Modular scope and training method are separate choices. Do not enrol in a diploma merely because someone said “you need the diploma” without checking the intended licensing outcome.
What happens to the units I already completed?
Bring your transcript or statement of attainment, not just the qualification title. Credit transfer deals with recognised completed units; RPL assesses relevant learning and experience against requirements. We check the actual records and any equivalence before deciding what remains. ASQA explains these two processes.
For example, two AMEs may hold mechanical Certificate IV qualifications but have different electives and work histories. One may have turbine aircraft exposure; the other may work in a piston-engine workshop. Their next training plans should reflect those differences. This is why an individual evidence review is useful before calculating the remaining tuition.
Engineers training engineers
A plan built around your background.
Sigma works with engineers who have different qualifications, licence histories and access to aircraft. We assess the evidence, identify the remaining work and build the learning around that gap.
How to move forward with Sigma
- Choose your endpoint
Select a diploma if you need the qualification, or the appropriate CASA package if you need licensing training.
- Apply and upload your evidence
Follow the course application and onboarding steps. Provide your transcripts, relevant exam results and maintenance background.
- Review the adjusted tuition
We assess credit and identify the remaining scope. The application fee is deducted from tuition, along with applicable credit reductions.
- Complete the remaining training
Your tailored learning environment and initial RPL report follow tuition payment. Complete the unit requirements, then outstanding CASA exams where your selected pathway requires them.
Choose the diploma or licence course
For licensing training, use the CASA licence course finder. CASA’s application guidance explains the regulator’s application stage after the applicable requirements are met.
Questions we hear from engineers
Does holding a diploma automatically give me a licence?
No. CASA issues the licence after the applicable requirements are met. Your course offer should make clear whether it covers a qualification only or a licensing-training pathway.
Must I complete a second full qualification to remove an exclusion?
Select the exclusion-removal outcome and have the gap reviewed. Do not assume a second full diploma is necessary for every change in privilege.
Your next step
Know the outcome? Apply for it.
Choose the course that matches your goal and follow the application steps. We will assess the background you bring and tell you what remains.
Reviewed 31 October 2026. Course details and regulatory requirements can change. Use the linked course information and current regulator guidance when planning your pathway.
