AIMING HIGH
By TOM HANRATTY, Posted on » Thursday, August 06, 2009
TWENTY young Bahrainis took a step closer to their dream of becoming pilots yesterday, when they were announced as the first group to be accepted onto the new Cadet Pilot Training Programme. The Gulf Aviation Academy (GAA), a subsidiary of the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, yesterday announced the successful applicants during a Press conference at the Bahrain Business Incubator Centre (BBIC), Hidd.
One hundred Bahrainis will be given the opportunity to become commercial pilots under the initiative, which is a joint initiative by Mumtala-kat, the Bahrain Developm-ent Bank (BDB) and Tam-keen (formerly the Labour Fund).
The first batch of 20 will start their training at the Oxford Aviation Academy, in the UK, in October.
Speaking to the GDN yesterday the cadets expressed their excitement at being accepted onto the program-me.
"It means everything to me and my future," said Moha-mmed Saeed Al Manami.
"It's been my dream since childhood to be a pilot and it just feels great."
Echoing those sentiments, fellow candidate Tariq Bakhsh said it was an offer he couldn't turn down.
"This really means a lot to me," he said.
"The offer is really good and I've seen the offers from other universities but this one is very different.
"They offered so much and have made everything so much easier for students.
"I think nobody would reject it because in the end, you're going to study in Oxford where everything is the best."
The sense of excitement was evident throughout the group and none more so than for Rashid Abdulrahman Mohammed.
"This was my dream when I was four years old," he explai-ned.
"Every time I used to get on a plane I would be thinking in a few years, I will be flying this plane.
"Some people were asking me: 'Why a pilot? It's very dangerous.' So I had my doubts initially but soon they were cleared and I accepted the offer.
"I am very excited for October.
"Every time I get a call from them, I get more and more excited because it always seems to be something new."
Meanwhile, cadet Yousif Shareef said it was a very proud moment for him - adding he was fully committed to completing his studies and becoming a pilot.
"This is a great opportunity for me," he began. "I feel very proud that I've made it this far because it is known that Oxford assessments are really tough and not easy to pass.
"Of course it's a dream come true for me. I've always been surrounded by travel, my father travelled a lot and so do my uncles.
"It really is my passion and my dream and I would never give up. I want to work hard and get my licence so I can fly."
Come October, the cadets will spend the majority of their time in Oxford to complete the internationally certified commercial pilot training programme.
Once the two-year programme is complete, GAA will support the cadets in their job search both in Bahrain and across the region.
Speaking at yesterday's event, Mumtalakat chief executive officer Talal Alzain said everyone involved with the project was very proud of the cadets.
"All of the institutions involved in this programme are extremely proud of the first batch of cadets selected," he said.
"Aviation is a prestigious and exciting career choice and the GAA's programme is enabling Bahrainis, who may have dreamt of this career, to take their first steps in achieving their ambition.
"Bahrain is working to become a regional centre for aviation. Air transport infrastructure is of strategic importance to Bahrain due to the Kingdom's geographical location and it will help drive economic growth for the country in the future.
"The programme will help to supply the country's future demand for Bahraini trained commercial pilots as it develops its air transport infrastructure."
BDB banking services senior vice-president Adnan Al Balushi said the company was committed to helping the students finance the training.
"The BDB is working very closely with Mumtalakat and Tamkeen in order to help finance the training programme for these Bahraini graduates," he said.
"This programme will be particularly important in meeting the increasing demand on the commercial aviation sector."
Tamkeen chief executive Abdulelah Al Qassimi added there was an urgent need for trained Bahraini nationals in the aviation industry.
"The civil aviation sector is one of the fastest-growing business areas in the world and the GCC and according to our Skills Gap Survey, there is an urgent need for trained nationals to work in this area as professionals as pilots, engineers etcetera," he said.
"This first batch of Bahraini cadets, who will go through a world-class pilot training course at GAA, represent the commitment of Tamkeen to structure training that responds to market needs and which will give Bahrainis new career opportunities, full of growth and promise."
The programme will be managed by the Gulf Avia-tion Academy, which is the first aviation academy in Bahrain.
It is a 16 to 19-month intensive training course that will qualify Bahraini graduates with no previous flying experience, but who have demonstrated qualities needed to become an internationally-certified commercial pilot.