28 Sep 2014 12:00
Etihad Airways has welcomed the first class of Emirati trainees to its Graduate Finance Development Program, the latest scheme to be launched as part of the airline’s growing UAE national development efforts.
The program, launched in partnership with Phoenix Financial
Training, a leading world class training provider, will aim at developing and
preparing UAE nationals for a rewarding career in financial accounting in the
aviation industry.
Spanning a period of two years, the program will consist of classroom
and on-the-job training leading to a
professional qualification from the Association of Chartered Certified
Accountants (ACCA), the global body for professional accountants. The ACCA
boasts around 162,000 members and 428,000 students in 173 countries and ACCA
qualifications are recognised by key regulatory and education authorities
around the world. The qualification will consist of exams, practical experience
and a number of ethics modules.
James Rigney, Chief Financial Officer, said: “As part of our
mandate to develop and empower UAE nationals to take on roles in all aspects of
the airline industry, we are excited to offer world class training and a
globally recognized accreditation in finance and accounting.
“As the need for seasoned
finance professionals in the aviation industry arises, our new financial
accounting management program will provide our top Emirati talent with the
knowledge and skills required to undertake various finance roles across Etihad
Airways’ expanding global network.”
Marwa Al Maskari, one of the new trainees in the program, said: “I feel very privileged to be part of this program and to be offered the
opportunity to acquire one of the finance world’s most recognised
certifications. I can’t wait to apply the knowledge and skills I will learn as
I build my career in Etihad Airways’ finance division.”
The Etihad Airways UAE national development program was launched in
2007 and continues to grow with an increasing number of Emiratis working in
various roles at the airline’s home base in Abu Dhabi and across its global
network.
The program now offers a wide range of training opportunities for
UAE nationals, including cadet pilot, technical engineering, and contact centre
schemes and a graduate management
development program in a number of specialized disciplines including finance,
sales, airport operations and revenue management.
Etihad Airways’ Chief People and Performance Officer, Ray Gammell,
said: “We are pleased to offer this specialized finance program as part of our
UAE National Development scheme.
“Our Programs have evolved over the years and now offer individual
schemes specifically tailored to suit the various business needs while at the
same time preparing a cadre of talented UAE Nationals for exciting careers in
the aviation industry.“
Currently Etihad Airways has almost 1600 UAE nationals employed in various jobs
spanning the spectrum of its operations.