With a growing interest in the aviation sector among Goan youth, Captain Bob of the Aviation Business and Career Leadership, established in association with SS Dempo College (Autonomous) Cujira, shares more about the varied opportunities in this field
KALYANI JHA | NT KURIOCITY
With two years of its establishment in Goa, the Aviation Business and Career Leadership (ABCL) is ensuring Goan youth aim high and avail of the opportunities that the growing aviation industry is offering.
Having begun operations with just two students, ABCL recently celebrated an important milestone enrolling its 100th student recently.
Captain Bob, who was earlier a part of Aviation Business and Career Leadership, U.K. states, “When we began, a lot of people discouraged me saying that I will not get more students than that. But it picked up like wildfire. Within a month’s time, we had about 24 students.” Students have since found employment in Air India, AITSA, and FLY 91.
According to Captain Bob who teaches courses like flight operations and aerostats, finance, sales and marketing, they also currently have two students with physical disabilities. “Both have already completed the airline commercial management course. We have strongly recommended their names to various airlines,” he says.
ABCL currently offers 31 courses and students from any stream can join the courses. Barring aviation law, a recently introduced course, the minimum requirement for joining most other courses is 10 plus 2. The minimum age must be 18 years.
Captain Bob, who teaches along with his partner from U.K. Palvie (who has 30 years of experience in the field as an air hostess and ground staff ) shares that the courses offered here are very cost effective and of international standards. “There are institutions which are charging over a lakh for a ground course. With the support of Dempos we are charging only 65k for courses like flight operations management. Only pilot’s course, that is FAA standard course, is taught with one lakh and 25,000 rupees, which is still cost effective in comparison to many,” he says.
He states that the students are now also demanding for new courses like aviation security, aviation finance, and air traffic control.
“We recently commenced training in aviation law for budding lawyers. For commerce students, besides other courses, we also have one on aviation finance management. Similarly we have airport management and ground support management for students from any stream. Very few airlines, mostly foreign carriers, demand graduation,” shares Captain Bob, adding that after students finish training, they get recommendation letters from Principal, Dempo College, Dr. Kamat to ensure employment.
And Captain Bob foresees a good scope for the aviation industry in the coming years with major airlines planning to make Goa a sub-base.
“Goan students have got a lot of potential, which they can utilise by entering aviation. People should be aware that this is professional course,” he says adding that parents must encourage them in opting for these courses.
“People feel that if they don’t do their graduation after Class 12, they can’t grow in their career. But with 2,500 aeroplanes coming in, there will be lakhs of jobs for trained skilled professionals,” shares Captain Bob who has now also been invited to teach commercial management and aviation security to 14 U.K. students.
He will also be teaching aviation to around 50 first year students who are doing their BA in Global Services Management at SS Dempo College. Further, he also plans to tie up with the U.S., U.A.E., so that students gain more exposure and grow in the aviation career.
