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Archive - Archive 2004 - July 2013

Air Seychelles starts career boost programmes for Seychellois |28 May 2012

So far, seven engineers, four Graduate Manager Development Programme candidates and one cadet pilot have been granted entry to the prestigious programmes.

Cramer Ball, Air Seychelles’ chief executive officer, said: “As we lay the foundations for the future of Air Seychelles, these training programmes are immensely important in transferring valuable knowledge and skills to the workforce. The Seychellois people are the future of this company and investment in their development is top priority for us and our partner, Etihad Airways.

“It is a rare opportunity for a carrier of our size to have access to world-class facilities and esteemed career development programmes such as those of Etihad Airways, so we are leveraging this partnership to take advantage of every opportunity possible.”

Six of the engineers selected for the Training Engineer Development Programme (TEDB) are Air Seychelles employees, with one local recruit joining the group.

The TEDB programme, which starts in September, includes two years of classroom training in Al Ain and two years of service training in Abu Dhabi, after which the engineers will return to Seychelles with their new skills and resume work with the local airline.

Ten other engineers will also undergo aircraft type training courses specific to the airline’s new Airbus A330 aircraft. The training includes an avionics course and a mechanical course on aircraft and engines.

The Graduate Management Development Programme (GMDP) is a 21-month course, which involves nine months of workplace orientation across key Etihad Airways departments, followed by a six-month placement with a specific team of interest. The final six months are allotted for a business-based project.

Two of the selected graduate managers are Air Seychelles employees and two are local Seychellois recruits. Altogether, they will join the GMDP starting in September 2012.

The island carrier has also invited one Seychellois to join Etihad Airways’ International Cadet Pilot Programme, an 18-month course at the Horizon Flight Academy in Al Ain. Assessments for further entrants to the programme are currently underway.

The cadet pilots will need to complete 750 hours of classroom sessions and 205 hours flight training in single and multi-engine aircraft. During this time, cadets must also pass the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority’s theoretical knowledge and flying exams.

Currently there are 68 Air Seychelles cabin crew and 18 pilots at Etihad Airways Training Academy in Abu Dhabi receiving full training for the A330 aircraft. Five more pilots will arrive in June to start training.

In January, Etihad Airways acquired a 40 per cent stake in Air Seychelles and the two airlines now operate eight return services a week between Abu Dhabi and the Indian Ocean archipelago – four by Air Seychelles and four by Etihad Airways. 

The Seychellois engineers joining Etihad Airways' career development and training programmes are Marlon Nourrice, Damien Azemia, Mario Desylva, Clifton Nourrice, Erol Agricole and Antoine Francois (from Air Seychelles) and Herve Toulon (external candidate).

The Seychellois Graduate Managers are Muriel Morgan (external recruit), Elsie Hurst (Air Seychelles), Larry Esther (Air Seychelles) and Magalie Ernesta (external recruit).

External recruit Balaji Naidoo is the Seychellois Cadet Pilot following the training programme.

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