Ethiopian Airlines Aviation Academy Graduates 184 Aviation Professionals

.To host the ICAO Global Aviation Training and TRAINAIR PLUS Symposium in April

Ethiopian Airlines Aviation Academy (EAA), ICAO TRAINAIR Plus member and IATA authorised global training centre, has graduated 184 aviation professionals at a ceremony held at the Academy’s Commercial and Cabin Crew Training Building on February 18, 2017. Among the total graduates, 145 are females. The Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, gave out diplomas to the graduates and achievement awards to top performing ones. In this round, 90 graduates are from Cabin Crew and Catering, 84 from Commercial and Ground Operations Training School and the rest are trained on Equipment and Facility Maintenance.

GebreMariam said, “Education is the greatest equaliser in our highly integrated world today and for this reason we are putting great emphasis in training young Ethiopians and our African brothers and sisters in order to enable them develop the required global standard qualification to fly successful African Airlines. We are very proud of our Aviation Academy achievements and global standard capabilities in various professions in the aviation industry. In line with our vision 2025, we are expanding the capacity of the Academy to accommodate from 1,000 today to 4,000 students by 2025. Today’s graduation is a continuation of this long journey. I take this opportunity to congratulate the graduates and their families and friends. I also thank the Academy staff for their hard work and achievements.”

Ethiopian Aviation Academy is certified by the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and IATA Safety Audit (IOSA). The Academy has been providing training for pilots, aircraft maintenance technicians, cabin crew, marketing personnel and leadership development trainees for Ethiopians and other nationals from Africa, Middle East and Asia for more than seven decades.

Furthermore, Ethiopian Airlines has announced that it will host the ICAO Global Aviation Training and TRAINAIR PLUS Symposium with the theme: ‘Together, Enhancing Training to Build Capacity’ at the seat of the African Union, Addis Ababa from April 11 through 13, 2017. Group CEO Ethiopian Airlines, GebreMariam, said: “It is a profound honour for all of us at Ethiopian Airlines to host the ICAO Global Aviation Training and TRAINAIR PLUS Symposium which brings major industry players together, to exchange best practices and experiences in human resources development and aviation training, and more specifically on the TRAINAIR PLUS Programme for the advancement of the Global aviation. I believe this symposium will also be an opportunity for us to showcase our hospitality, the state-of-the-art Aviation Training facilities at our Aviation Academy and the key role Ethiopian is playing in the development of the African Aviation industry.

“While attending the symposium in this beautiful country, I would like to remind you all that you are coming back home because this is the land where it all began which is the land of Lucy, the 3.2 million-years-old Grandmother of humanity and the most complete skeleton of an early human ancestor ever discovered. Wishing you all a successful deliberation in the symposium, I recommend you to visit Lalibela; the beautiful rock-hewn churches well known throughout the world or Axum; the single granite stone of the Axum Obelisk or others of the mesmerizing tourist sites in the country if you may wish to take a side trip. Whatever your choice, I’m sure you will enjoy the unparalleled hospitality and the friendly people of, Ethiopia.”

An estimated 400-500 expected participants will be taking part in the Symposium, including the ICAO council President and the Secretary General, transport ministers, ambassadors, civil aviation and airport authorities, civil aviation officials, aircraft manufacturers, airline and airport operators, industry policy makers, and tourism experts. Ethiopian Aviation Academy, the largest and most modern aviation academy in Africa, ICAO TRAINAIR PLUS Member and Regional Training Centre of Excellence and IATA Authorised Global Training Centre, is playing a vital role to address the growing need for Skilled Aviation professional in Africa and the region.

Ayade, Air Peace MD Onyema and Okezie of Wakanow Win Man of the Year Awards Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade has won the Atqnews Tourism Man of the Year award for 2016. This is as the CEO of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema also emerged the Aviation Man of the year while Mr. Obinna Okezie, Managing Director of Wakanow wins the award for Travel Personality of the Year. All the awards are for the year 2016. ATQnews.com is a member of Travel Media Group. It is the online platform for African Travel Quarterly (ATQ), the first Travel magazine in West Africa which solely focuses on travel and tourism issues. ATQnews.com is a foremost African online travel news platform with a global reach. The awards would hold at the Travellers Night Gala Dinner on the 16th March 2016 at De Edge Hotel Resort, Port Harcourt during 2017 edition of Port Harcourt Bantaba.

The awards and recognitions are intended to distinguish Nigerians both in government and in the private sector who have distinguished themselves in moving the travel and tourism business forward in Nigeria. This edition of Bantaba with the awards and Top 100 Hotels in Nigeria is organised by ATQnews.com in partnership with Akwaaba African Travel Market. This year is unique as Bantaba would be returning after two years absence and with a shift from its traditional Abuja location to the Garden City of Port Harcourt, popularly referred to as the Treasure Base of the Nation. The event will hold at De Edge Hotel Resort, Port Harcourt on 16 – 17 March, 2017.

Ayade, was voted Tourism Man of the Year for sustaining the Carnival Calabar and most importantly, for improving on the offerings of the carnival with the international edition and bikers fiesta despite the economic recession. While Onyema, Managing Director of Air Peace was voted the Aviation Man of the Year for positioning Air Peace as one of leading domestic airlines in the country including its expansion drive on the Ghana route. Okezie, Managing Director of Wakanow won the Travel Man of the Year for building the travel company to become a big African brand with branches abroad.

Other awards include Hospitality Man of the Year: Chief Nnaeto Orazuruike of The Genesis group; The three Most Active Tourism States in Nigeria Cross River State, Lagos State ands Osun State are to be recognised; Domino’s Pizza is to be aware for the best Quick Service Restaurant while the Restaurant of the Year award goes to The Place. The award for the Hotel Man of the Year will be announced later. The organiser. Mr. Ikechi Uko, speaking about the Man of the Year awards, explained that the awards are worth the effort as they seeks to recognise great travel and tourism companies and personalities in Nigeria. “Last year was difficult in Nigeria. But some organisations and people dared, and did good things that brought good news to Travel and Tourism. These great efforts and successes are worth recognising and celebrating,” says Mr. Uko. Top 100 Hotels in Nigeria is aimed at recognising and celebrating hotels which have impacted positively on the growth and development of travel and tourism business in Nigeria through maintaining resilience, high quality in service delivery, excellence in operations, top class in infrastructure and steady progress in growth. It was started in 1999 by Travellers magazine.