Etihad
Airways will mark the inaugural Emirati Women’s Day by hosting a series of
events under the theme, ‘Celebrating Emirati Women in Aviation’. The airline
will focus on raising awareness of the important role that Emirati women play
in aviation and will demonstrate the immense and diverse opportunities this
vital economic sector can present for women.
Emirati
Women’s Day, announced by H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the
General Women's Union, GWU, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development
Foundation, FDF, and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and
Childhood, to highlight the achievements of women in the UAE and their critical
role in society, will be marked on 28th August every year.
Etihad
Airways will join the UAE in celebrating Emirati Women’s Day through a series
of events and activities, starting today with a high-profile panel discussion,
highlighting the diverse and unconventional role Emirati women have played in
the aviation industry and their contribution to future growth and development.
Mona
Walid, Etihad Airways Vice President, Talent Acquisition, said, "Since the
launch of Etihad Airways in 2003, we have focused our efforts on attracting and
developing young Emirati men and women in equal measure to be future aviation
leaders at national and global levels.
"Emiratis
represent 25 percent of our UAE based workforce, excluding cabin crew. We
currently employ 1,269 Emirati women in various roles, representing 49 percent
of a total of 2,560 UAE nationals in our workforce. These include 46 female
pilots and five engineers and technicians. Our Vice President of Medical
Services, Dr. Nadia Bastaki, is also the first Emirati woman to be registered
as a specialist in aviation medicine."
The
panel discussion, which took place at Etihad Airways’ headquarters in Abu
Dhabi, saw five successful women with aerospace and aviation experience sharing
insights into their careers and shedding light on the opportunities and
challenges faced by women when stepping out of their traditional roles.
Proceedings
were initiated with a keynote video speech by the UAE’s first female pilot,
Captain Aysha Al Hamili, who is the Permanent Representative of the UAE on the
Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, based in Montreal.
Captain
Al Hamili said, "I continue to be inspired by those who make a change and
have an impact on our society. Our leaders are our source of inspiration, they
teach us that there is nothing impossible if we work hard to achieve it.
"I
applaud Etihad Airways, as the national airline, for its pro-active support and
for providing the opportunities for the professional development of Emirati women
in the industry."
With
an audience of 130 female professionals and students, the aim of the panel
discussion was to raise awareness of the roles of women in the aerospace and
aviation industry and to encourage female Emirati students to pursue careers in
all areas of the sector, including commercial, technical, engineering and
aero-medical.
Etihad
Airways employs 500 Emirati women in its commercial departments including sales
and marketing. The airline’s award-winning Contact Centre in Al Ain is exclusively
managed and operated by 160 women who play a critical role in maximising
revenue and showcasing its commitment to excellent customer service.
The
number of Emirati women enrolling in Etihad Airways’ unique Aviation Bachelor
of Science Degree programme at Abu Dhabi University, which was introduced to
support the growth of Etihad Airways’ Cadet Pilot Programme, is steadily on the
rise. Approximately 30 percent of the first-year students and 20 percent in all
four years of the course, are women. In aviation courses elsewhere in the
world, women only comprise between eight and 12 percent.
The
empowerment of women remains at the heart of Etihad Airways’ Emiratisation
strategy and it is deeply committed to supporting UAE women to succeed as the
nation’s future leaders, on an equal footing with men. –End-
Image
by: www.wam.ae
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