The 24-year-old from Cessnock is an aviation technician who specialises in maintaining the electrical systems of MH-60R Seahawk helicopters at Navy's 808 Squadron.

Hayes said in his opinion it's one of the best jobs in the Navy.

"Helicopters are a hugely valuable asset and crucial to a mission," he said.

Hayes has been in the Navy for the past five years and said aviation maintenance is taken very seriously.

"I feel like I'm doing really useful and important work - without us they can't get up, they can't fly," he said.

Hayes works in a flight team of 19 maintainers and aircrew and he said a typical day varies according to the mission and aircraft maintenance cycles.

"For a day of flying there is daily pre-flight maintenance inspections, we assist with all movements to get the aircraft out on the flightline and then all checks involved with launching it," he said.

"Once the aircraft lands, there's post-flying maintenance and further inspections as well as rectifying any faults that have come up throughout the flying evolution.

His role as a technician has also taken him into the Indo-Pacific aboard HMAS Anzac during Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE) 2022, visiting India, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei.

Hayes was encouraged to follow in the footsteps of his cousins and join the Navy after finishing Year 12 at Mount View High School in 2017 and he said there has been plenty of opportunity to travel.

When not serving his country on the high seas, Hayes said Nowra was a great place to make a life, being close to the beach and only a 10-minute drive to the base.

"I love beach fishing, mostly for salmon and tailor, so living on the coast suits me," he said.

"All of my mates that I socialise with are pretty much all work friends. It just goes to show that my closest friends, I've found through the Navy."

For information on a career within the Naval aviation workforce, contact your local workforce manager.