To develop manpower training in Nigerian aviation, the Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria, the oldest airline in Nigeria, Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria.
The historic signing ceremony was performed in Zaria, Kaduna State by the managements of both organizations.
According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aero, Capt. Ado Sanusi, the MoU with NCAT, a regional centre of excellence of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), would facilitate On the Job Training (OJT) for NCAT student engineers.
Daily Trust reports that Aero Contractors apart from being the oldest airline in Nigeria today is an Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) certified to conduct comprehensive maintenance checks on B737 aircraft.
With the MoU, the student engineers with NCAT would be trained at the Aero MRO.
Sanusi said the pact would set in motion the annual OJT for NCAT student engineers for a period of three months to enable them gain practical experience on aircraft maintenance knowledge before proceeding for another specialised intense training at Aero’s Rotary and Fixed Wing Departments.
He said on completion of the three-month training, Aero Contractors would offer immediate employment to the best 10 student engineers that would emerge from the training.
According to him, five each would be distributed to Aero Rotary and Fixed Wing departments.
He said the decision was in support of the Federal Government’s policy of creating employment opportunities for the youth.
The Managing Director/CEO of NCAT, Capt. Abdulsalam said the partnership with Aero is a unique one and a momentous phase in the training of Nigeria’s future aircraft engineers.
He disclosed that the institution has enough students who are ready for their On-the-job training and they would be immediately sent to Aero Contractors.