Ethiopian Aviation University is committed to developing a skilled workforce

Mr Kassie Yimam, the Acting President of the Ethiopian Aviation University, says the University is committed to developing a skilled workforce by offering undergraduate and postgraduate aviation programmes.

The University, which is an upgrade from an Academy, has been offering aviation training programmes such as pilot, aircraft technician, cabin crew, airline sales and services, and other training.

He said the University was expected to produce highly skilled aviation professionals and leaders that meet the growing human resource needs of Ethiopian Airlines Group and other airlines in the region.
Mr. Yiman was speaking in an interview with some selected journalists from Ghana on a tour of the University’s facilities at its base in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The tour was part of an inaugural 4x night flight launched by Ethiopian Airlines, which departs Accra on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

The four times weekly additional flights will bring the airline’s customers more convenient options to enjoy immediate connections to its vast intra-Africa network and to the Middle East, the Asian cities.

The increase in flight frequency will also allow the airline to provide more travel options to passengers’ onboard sister airline, ASKY Airlines, who seek to connect flights in Accra to various destinations in the world.

The Acting President said the University would continue to contribute to the rapidly growing aviation sector of Ethiopia and the continent at large.

Ethiopian Aviation University is the largest and most modern Aviation University in Africa recognized as the ICAO Regional Training Center of Excellence.

Currently, the University provides world-class training in different areas including Pilot Training, Simulator Training, Cabin Crew and Catering Training, Commercial and Ground Service Training, Aircraft Maintenance Training, and Leadership training at its headquarters.

Mr Yimam said as a member of the Ethiopian Airlines Group, which includes Ethiopian Airports, Ethiopian MRO Services, Ethiopian Inflight Services, and Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, the University offered programmes with advanced curriculums, which were taught by faculty and industry practitioners.

He said University, which was once an Academy, was upgraded with undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

These programmes are a BSc degree in Aeronautical Engineering, a BSc degree in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, a BSc degree in Aviation Management, a BA degree in Tourism & Hospitality Management, and MBA in Aviation Management.

He said the University was determined to reach more people, who dream of becoming aviation professionals and enrich the continent with qualified personnel, who would take Africa’s aviation to the next level.

“Our aviation University has been producing the best aviation professionals who are competitive at a global level,” Mr Yimam added.

He said Ethiopian Airlines had been very successful because it worked very intensively on human resource development, providing appropriate training for all its staff.
He said the African Aviation industry had to grow towards manufacturing of aircraft and for that, it required beyond maintenance and some competency level assessments of a higher level of knowledge, theoretical as well as practical.

“So, our vision now is to help African industry flourish in manufacturing starting with small airplanes, general aviation airplane components,” he said.

The Acting President said with that focus they had designed a competency-based well taught aeronautical engineering course.

He said the Ethiopian Aviation University was very open to partnering with other institutions in West Africa or Africa in general to enhance the development of the aviation industry on the continent.

“We are looking for reliable partners who can work together for the successful foundation for the industry in Africa,” he added.

Mr Yimam said apart from providing training for Ethiopian Airlines, the University also provides training for many partnering airlines in Africa like, ASKY Airlines in West Africa in Togo, Lomé, Equatorial Guinea, Malawi, and Mozambique.