“There is a definite increase in demand for pilots – not just in the UAE and the region, but globally. This can be attributed to the phenomenal growth in demand for travel and the expansion of the aviation sector and the ecosystem across the region,” said Capt Abdulla Al Hammadi, divisional vice president at Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA).
“There will continue to be a huge demand for pilots globally. Aviation is one of the most exciting and dynamic industries today and pilots have access to excellent opportunities for career advancements. Becoming an aviator is a great career choice for students and school leavers,” Al Hammadi told Khaleej Times.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
According to Oliver Wyman, there is likely to be a global gap of 80,000 pilots by 2032. The Middle East is set to see the biggest shortage outside of North America, driven by a projected sharp increase in air travel demand over the next few years. The region could face a shortage of 3,000 pilots by 2023 and 18,000 by 2032.
The EFTA divisional vice president added that they are actively engaged with several industry stakeholders and airlines within the GCC and beyond to offer job opportunities to graduates.
“We're always open to identifying relevant opportunities to collaborate with the right partners at the right time.”
Captain Abdulla Al Hammadi
EFTA's $181,650 (Dh666,000) fees to become a pilot covers everything such as all training materials including devices, serviced accommodation, amenities, recreational facilities, uniforms, meals, laundry, and certification.
Dubai's flagship carrier Emirates offers an attractive package to selected pilots. The first officer's salary ranges from nearly Dh26,000 to Dh34,000 a month in addition to accommodation, annual leave, and education allowance among other benefits. This makes the Dubai carrier among the most sought after employers in the aviation sector.
Biggest cohort
On Tuesday, 85 cadets graduated from the Emirates Flight Training Academy, of which 67 were UAE nationals and 18 international cadets. It was the fifth graduation ceremony of the EFTA.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive Emirates Airline & Group, Capt Abdulla Al Hammadi, Divisional Vice President EFTA; Adel Al Redha, Emirates' Deputy President & Chief Operations Officer; Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline; and Adnan Kazim, Emirates' Deputy President & Chief Commercial Officer with the Class of 2024.
The graduation ceremony was headlined by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive Emirates Airline & Group, and other senior officials.
Every cadet in the class of 2024 completed around 113 weeks of training with over 1,100 hours of ground-based and 270 hours of flight training.
Four cadets – Humaid Al Hammadi, Abdulla Raeisi, Alessandro Muffolini and Sarah Shah – were honoured for their exceptional performance while Abdulla Alkaabi was awarded for being the most diligent.
Exceptional cadets (from left): Humaid Al Hammadi, Abdulla Alkaabi, Abdulla Raeisi and Sarah Shah. Photo: Supplied
Since EFTA's launch, 271 cadets have graduated into world-class professional pilots.
EFTA also announced the launch of an Advanced Diploma in Pilot Licensing Training (Aeroplane) on the back of the academy's recognition as an Accredited Training Provider (ATP) by the UAE National Qualifications Centre (NQC).
The Academy can accommodate over 400 cadets. "We do intend to scale up, but our objective has never been to fill up the academy with cadets. Instead, we prefer to focus on providing world-class training and more one-on-one engagement and attention to all our cadets,” he said, adding that the aim is to make cadets future-fit and equip them for long-term careers in aviation.“These are some of the reasons why we've launched our Advanced Diploma in Licensing Training (Aeroplane),” he added.