14 November, 2018

ETIHAD CELEBRATES 15 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE IN EMIRATI DEVELOPMENT AT SPECIAL ‘YEAR OF ZAYED’ GRADUATION





More than 3,000 trainees have progressed through the renowned Etihad programme, with Emiratis now contributing to 11.5% of Etihad workforce


More than 60% of the Etihad senior leadership team and over 60% of the global airports team are UAE Nationals


The 2018 Year of Zayed graduation group contains more than 230 UAE Nationals who will now embark upon exciting career opportunities at Etihad




Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Etihad Aviation Group continues to excel in the field of Emiratisation and last night capped another successful moment, with the graduation of 233 UAE National employees at a special Year of Zayed ceremony in Abu Dhabi.




The graduation ceremony at Zayed University was attended by Board Members of Etihad Aviation Group: H.E. Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh; H.E. Hamad Abdulla Al Shamsi; and H.E. Mohamed Hareb Sultan Al Yousef; as well as EAG senior management, and hundreds of family and friends of the graduates.




The graduates successfully passed through the organisation’s innovative and highly successful career development programme which has developed significantly since its launch in 2006 when just 60 Emiratis worked at Etihad.




Currently, Emiratis are the largest nationality in several parts of the organisation, including the senior leadership team and global airports, with ambitious plans in place to increase those numbers further during the next decade.




His Excellency Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, Etihad Aviation Group Chairman, said: “Etihad has been committed to the development of UAE Nationals since its launch in 2003 and we are proud to celebrate the achievement of this group of aviation professionals and future leaders of our organisation. Etihad has delivered programmes to more than 3,000 graduates during its 15 years of operations.




“As we celebrate the Year of Zayed, we are thankful for the wisdom of the father of our nation, the Late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was deeply committed to the development of human capital. This commitment has inspired and guided Etihad Aviation Group to develop the Emirati people who make such a significant contribution to the aviation industry and our nation.”




The future leaders embarked on their careers at Etihad over the past few years and have completed various educational courses; 68 have gone through intense Cadet Pilot training, 58 have finished the Technical Engineering Development Programme, and the largest group of 107 have completed the Etihad Graduate Manager Programme.




Speaking at the ceremony, Tony Douglas, Etihad Aviation Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our people are Etihad’s strongest asset and as the organisation celebrates 15 years of flying, it is a positive moment to reflect on the contributions these employees are already making throughout the organisation.




“Etihad’s UAE National development programme is one of the most respected in the country and we are proud to pioneer this approach to capability and talent development. Through dedicated development programmes, mentoring and coaching, we are fostering the growth of the next generation of aviation experts in the UAE”.




The Etihad training courses for Emiratis provide opportunities for young people to gain valuable on-the-job experience and the necessary qualifications to establish their careers in one of the most dynamic industries in the world.




The initial launch of the programme in 2006 included four key areas: cadet pilot programme, graduate manager programme, technical engineering programme, and entry level programme. These quickly became the platform for the organisation’s renowned development of UAE nationals.




At its core, the Emiratisation programme provides world class talent succession, coaching and mentorship, international assignments, secondment and exchange programmes, professional qualifications, higher education scholarships.




The team behind the programme have also built strategic partnerships with key Abu Dhabi institutions including the Absher initiative and Human Resources Authority, previously known as Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council. It has also formed strong partnerships with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, as well as several overseas organisations.




Not content with that provision, the programme is set to evolve further in 2019 to create career opportunities and training for aircraft mechanics, graduate managers and officers, foundation employees as well as the core areas of pilots and engineers.
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