Prospects soar at airport

The Cairns Airport’s terminal operations manager Vicky Briscoe (above) said there was no place she would rather be working.

AIRPORTS are in Vicky Briscoe’s blood.

Cairns Airport’s terminal operations manager has been in the industry for more than two decades and said there was no place she would rather be working.

Ms Briscoe’s role managing the terminal operations team responsible for the smooth operations of visitors to the terminal is a big one.

“I look after our airport duty managers who are here 24/7 making sure everything is running smoothly,” she said.

“I was with an airline for 20 years and what I found really interesting was coming from an airline background, I thought the airport was just a building, but it is a big business all of its own and has plenty of different arms.

“No day is ever the same. Yesterday morning we were dealing with additional flights due to fog in Brisbane – you start a new day and every day is exciting.

“Another really great part in our role in operations is driving the airport customer experience.

“We often hold a barbecue for the whole airport community. We tend to all know each other, we really value the relationships with stakeholders and we all contribute to customer experience.”

For anyone seeking a career, an airport offers plenty of options, she said.

“I didn’t realise the variety of jobs at the airport, from security to the aerodrome, to IT – there are so many different opportunities,” she said.

“Much of the training is on the job and when I’m looking to hire someone it’s more about their attitude and the customer service skills they have to offer.

“Most people will learn everything in the job.

“As long as you’re a people person we’ll certainly be interested in having a chat.”