Abu Dhabi Airports Companyis celebratingthe graduation of itsfirst groupof 16 managers, 11 of which are UAE nationals,who took part intheglobal ACI-ICAO Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme (AMPAP). The Programme is approved by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the Airports Council International (ACI), and the University of Toulouse for Business Administration, in France.

In 2010, 50 managers from various departments across the Company were enrolled, and16 graduates have now completed the rigorous programme, making this group the largest group of graduates compared to other airports from around the world participating in the same programme.This success is in line with Abu Dhabi Airport Company’scommitment to improving the performance of employees and increasing operational efficiency in the management of the Capital’s airports.

The graduates were officially announcedduring the annual ACI Airport Exchange conference, held recently in Istanbul, Turkey.

Upon successful completion of the certification, participants earned the International Airport Professional (IAP) designation, which is the global standard of excellence in airport management. This International Airport Professional qualification provides participants with a better understanding of key contemporary issues and challenges that confront the various decision makers in the airport industry, and encourages adherence to uniform standards and awareness of best practices followed by leading airports worldwide.

Commenting onthis achievement, H.E. Ali Majed Al Mansouri, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports Company, said: “Abu Dhabi Airports Company is committed to enhancing Abu Dhabi’s aviation sector in line with the government’s 2030 strategy and vision, by developing the Capital’s various airports, as well as its workforce, to operate at the latest international standards, and ensuring they are equipped to manage the anticipated passenger growth, in order to meet the growing needs of the business and tourism sectors of the Emirate.”

H.E. added,“Today’s announcement highlights Abu Dhabi Airports Company’s commitment to Abu Dhabi Government’s direction to have 2013 as the year to focus on Emiratization and the Company’s commitment to achieving an Emiratization rate of 50% by the end of 2015. Through the Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies (GCAS), the Companyhas also focused on providing the highest international standards in training related to airports and the aviation industry, in order to develop a specialised resource of qualified experts to support the development of local projects. GCAS has been providing the ‘Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme’ (AMPAP), a globally accredited program by ACI-ICAO, to individuals working in the aviation and airports industry in the UAE and the Middle East since the beginning of 2010, to help develop the aviation industry across the entire region.”

GCAS is certifiedbythe International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) as an Associate ‘TRAINAIR PLUS’ training centre, effectively becoming the world’s first certified aviation training centre.GCAS was also awarded the Gold TRAINAIR PLUS full membership from ICAO in December 2011, after successfully meeting membership requirements, which qualified the centre to bethe first to chair the Steering Committee for the ‘TRAINAIR PLUS’ programme, makingthe UAE the first country to lead this prestigious Committee. The Steering Committee includes members from various countries around the world who oversee the implementation and the development of global training policies within the standards of the training programme.

On this occasion, Dr. Othman Al Khoori, Chief Human Resources Officer for Abu Dhabi Airports Company, said: “The specialised, technical and soft-skilltraining programmes offered by GCASwill enhance the Emiratization programmes in various government and private companies working in the aviation industry. The fact that this graduating class was the largest and first of its kind internationally to complete the ACI-ICAO Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme (AMPAP), demonstrates the commitment of Abu Dhabi Airports Companyto become a key driver in the development of the aviation sector through enhancingnational talent and nationalinfrastructure.”

Dr. Othman Al Khoori added “The Emiratization level of our senior and executive management positions is at 63%, and Abu Dhabi Airports Company as a whole has reached an Emiratization rate of 35% in the first half of thisyear, and hasachieved this level in part due to its objectives tied todeveloping a nationalworkforce capable of leading this vital sector in the coming decades."

The Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies includes a team of specialists in the field of aviation training, and works to provide a comprehensive range of training workshops in the aviation and airports industry. The Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies has provided five sessions this year for IAP designation, with the goal to complete 14 sessions by the end of 2013.
 

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