Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with College Ireland Aviation Services (CIAS) for specialised aviation training programs.

This collaboration will further support the airline’s existing training programs to develop and empower young UAE nationals to play an even greater role in the airline’s business, a statement said.

The MoU was signed during a special Irish delegation’s visit to the airline’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi.

Under the MoU, Etihad Airways and CIAS will collaborate to develop and offer a series of specialised aviation and executive development programs to UAE nationals currently employed across the airline’s various departments in Etihad Airways’ global network, said the statement.  

Most of the programs will be conducted at Etihad Airways’ state-of-the-art Training Academy in Abu Dhabi except for the English language training, which will be offered in Ireland. The programs will be jointly delivered by qualified and experienced trainers from CIAS and Etihad Airways.

Ray Gammell, Etihad Airways’ chief people and performance officer, said:  “As the national airline of the UAE, and to support the Abu Dhabi 2030 plan and the Absher initiative, Etihad Airways is committed to training and developing a national workforce of skilled motivated Emiratis.

“We are pleased to collaborate with a world renowned educational institution such as the CIAS to support the development of young UAE Nationals and prepare them for exciting and rewarding careers in the aviation industry.”

The CIAS was established in 2010 to provide a “one stop shop” to unite providers and market Irish education, training and consultancy services to the international aviation market. The company has the support of the Irish Aviation Authority and Enterprise Ireland and offers state- of-the-art courses across a broad spectrum of the aviation industry.

Brian Joyce, the chairman of CIAS, said that this is an exciting opportunity for College Ireland.  “We are delighted to be associated with one of the world’s premier airlines. This MoU confirms that CIAS is a leading provider of a broad mix of courses to the aviation industry and further proves that Irish companies can compete on a global scale for prestigious business.” – TradeArabia News Service