Pakistan International Airlines’ Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mr. Bernd Hildenbrand inaugurated PIA Training Center (PTC) at Multan this morning.
The Center would offer a two-year Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Training Program in Aerospace and Avionics Engineering.
With the addition of Multan, PIA now has training centers at eight locations. Others include Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Swat, Nawabshah and Quetta.
Expansion of PTC was started in 2014 and since October that year seven centers have been set up. Around 600 students are currently studying in these centers. Their graduates are able to become Aircraft maintenance Engineers after obtaining two years of practical experience.
The Multan training facility has two classrooms, one examination hall and one library and would initially start with 28 students.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Mr. Hildenbrand said that PTC in Multan will provide students belonging to this region a lifetime opportunity of making lucrative careers in aviation industry as licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers.
He said the fast growth of aviation industry, especially in the Middle East, is facing an acute shortage of technical manpower, especially in the field of Aviation. As per Boeing’s Industry outlook, there will be a gap of more than 50,000 aircraft technicians and engineers in the Middle East alone in the next 5 to 10 years, he added.
Mr. Hildenbrand said through PTC the country will not only be able to produce valuable technical manpower for aviation industry but also be able to earn foreign exchange through our talented boys and girls making their career in aviation industry across the globe.
He also said PIA is planning to obtain EASA 147 approval for PTC, which will help its graduates have better job opportunities.
In August 2014, PTC became the first institute to be awarded ANO 147 approval in the entire region.
The COO also took a round of the campus and was briefed by PIA’s Director Training and Corporate Planning, Mr. Amir Ali and Principal PTC, Mr. Sohail Mahmood about the facilities.
Later, Mr. Hildenbrand held a meeting with PIA employees working at Multan station, and discussed ways to improve the airline’s operations from this area.