Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) has celebrated the graduation of 396 members of its2017 Future Leaders Programme, one of the largest groups to graduate from a corporate programme in the UAE. Etihad Aviation Group Board members attended the proceedings at Zayed University’s Abu Dhabi campus, which saw 305 from the UAE and 91 from around the world graduate as pilots, engineers, managers and administrators. The graduates were joined by hundreds of family and friends to mark the completion of two tothreeyears of intensive on-the-job and classroom training.They will all now take up roles atdivisions of EAG, including Etihad Airways, Etihad Airways Engineering, and Hala Group.
H.E. Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Etihad Aviation Group, said: “Our people are the heart of our business and it gives me enormous pride to see these talented individuals graduate and launch their careers within Etihad Aviation Group. This generation will advance Etihad and advance global aviation and will reinforce the Abu Dhabi’s position as a key player in the aviation industry. “The past ten years of the Future Leaders Programme embodies the vision of the father of this nation, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and is evidence of the opportunities available across the UAE for current and future generations.” Since the programme began in 2007, over 2,600 people, including 2,233 UAE nationals, have launched their careers at EAGwhich is a central element of the group’s commitment to providing diverse career pathways for UAE nationals.
UAE nationals account for 29 percent of the group’s core staff and are the number one nationality occupying positions at a manager and executive level, and in the flight deck of Etihad Airways’119 aircraft.
Ray Gammell, Etihad Aviation Group Interim Chief Executive Officer, said: “The ceremony marks the moment when the aviation industry gains 100 technical engineers, 89 First Officers, and 207 aviation management and administration professionals. That’s 181 women and 215 men, trained here in Abu Dhabi, that are now equipped to start exciting careers.”
Addressing the graduates, Gammell said: “As you celebrate your success, remember that this is only the beginning; learning never stops, and you are now a driving force behind Etihad and the UAE’s progress.” The star performer awards for 2017 were presented to AfraMabwana, Al Anood Al Suwaidi, andFatima Al Falasi, from the Etihad Graduate Managers Programme;Humaid Al Shamsi, from the Technical Engineering Development Programme; and, Abdulla Al Houti, from the Pilot Development Programme.
Mohammed Hanif Hassan, a sales programme graduate, said: “As we celebrate our success we need to remember that we are now embarking on the next phase of our careers; a phase where our efforts will be essential to Etihad’s growth. We must take on new responsibilities; we must keep learning; and always keep in mind the investment Etihad has made in us.”
Etihad Aviation Group has formed strategic collaborations with a range of UAE educational and Emiratisation institutions, including the Human Resources Authority, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Ministry of Higher Education, Zayed University and Abu Dhabi University.