Emirates Doubles Number of UAE National Cadet Pilot Graduates

DUBAI, U.A.E., 16th April 2009 – A total of 35 UAE Nationals have today graduated from the Emirates airline National Cadet Pilot Programme, an increase of 100 per cent on last year’s graduate figures.

During the graduation ceremony, held at the Emirates Group Headquarters, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group and Captain Abdulla Al Hammadi, National Cadet Pilot Manager, Emirates, presented trophies and certificates to the 35 high-fliers who have successfully completed the two-and-a-half-year pilot training programme.

“I am delighted that we have doubled our UAE National graduates in less than 12 months. This is an incredible achievement and further highlights Emirates’ drive towards increasing and maintaining UAE Nationals within our workforce,” said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group.

“Today’s graduates have shown an incredible ability to succeed in their goals and I applaud them for the dedication and determination they have displayed in completing this challenging training programme. These bright, young and professional Emiratis will help shape the future of Emirates and will play an integral role in servicing over 100 destinations across our global network.”

Emirates invests over AED 1.2 million in training each National Cadet Pilot and in the last five years has invested more than AED 100 million in the programme. Throughout their careers with Emirates these National Cadet Pilots will also receive ongoing on-the-job training in line with continual changes to aircraft technologies.

With Emirates announcing two new routes into Africa, Durban and Luanda, as well as a continued push to strengthen existing routes through increased frequency, the National Cadet Pilot Training Programme will continue to remain an important part of Emirates operations in helping to secure and train UAE National flight deck professionals for the future.

“The National Cadet Pilot Training Programme has been running successfully since 1993 and I am confident that we will continue to attract talented young Emiratis who are looking for a fulfilling, interesting and long-lasting career with Emirates,” he concluded.

Today’s ceremony was attended by the graduate’s families as well as Maurice Flanagan, Executive Vice Chairman, Emirates Airline and Group, Gary Chapman, President Group Services and Dnata and Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline.

At present, Emirates’ flight deck crew includes 133 Emirati Captains and First Officers. In addition, 185 ab-initio pilots from the UAE are undergoing training with the multiple award-winning airline.

Launched in 1993, Emirates’ National Cadet Pilot Programme comprises a Foundation Course in English and Aviation Science conducted in Dubai, over about twelve months. Cadets then spend a year at Flight Training Adelaide at Parafield Airport, Australia, to gain a Commercial Pilot’s License with a Multi-Engine Instrument Rating (CPL/Multi IR). In the third phase of the programme, spread over six months, the cadets train on flight simulators at the Emirates Training College in Dubai.

GE Oil & Gas University programme trains industry professionals in Doha and Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, UAE; March 5, 2009: In the first-ever Middle East edition of GE’s Oil & Gas University Programme, an initiative aimed at providing training on leadership and technology disciplines for oil and gas professionals in Doha and Abu Dhabi. Graduation ceremonies were held in both cities, with 37 and 31 professionals receiving certificates in Doha and Abu Dhabi, respectively.

Experts from GE and professional associates covered various aspects of the energy industry including energy sources, exploration, production and utilization throughout the duration of the course. The Doha and Abu Dhabi Courses were a value-added learning programme for employees of QP and ADNOC and their affiliated companies and subsidiaries.

Mohammad Ayoub, Operations Leader – Region General Manager, GE Oil & Gas, said: "It is important for oil & gas professionals to further their knowledge and skill sets. We are delighted to have brought the GE Oil & Gas University Programme to the Middle East region. It offered industry professionals the opportunity to broaden their knowledge in their respective industries as well as give them the chance to specialize in preferred areas."

Sheikh Hamad Saoud Abdulaziz Al-Thani, Head of Professional Training, Qatar Petroleum said: “The GE Oil & Gas University Programme offered a valuable learning experience for our employees. They were introduced to new technologies and solutions that have great practical relevance, today. We are looking forward to having similar training in the future.”

H.E. Yousef Omair Bin Yousef, Chief Executive Officer of ADNOC said: "Our industry is ever-evolving and new technology and best practices are being regularly introduced. The Oil & Gas University Programme allowed our associates at ADNOC to build on their expertise and fine tune their technical skills."

Piero Salvadori, President of Oil & Gas University, said: "We are delighted to be able to extend the GE Oil & Gas University Programmes to this region. The Middle East plays an important role in GE’s business and the decision to introduce the University Programme was only logical. The 6 week programme was a condensed version of our “Oil & Gas technologies” programme which is six months long and is held at GE Oil & Gas headquarters in Florence, Italy. Participants completed the course with interest and enthusiasm and it proved to be a successful introduction to the Middle East for us.”

The program focused on three core modules: Leadership, Energy and Oil & Gas Processes and Rotating Equipment.

Emirates Gas organises UAE’s first simulation exercise to equip forces for emergency response

Dubai, February 19, 2009: Emirates Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of ENOC, organised a three-day training workshop for 60 trainees from Civil Defence representing all the seven emirates as well as Dubai Police. The workshop was held at the fire safety training grounds of Dubai Civil Defence in Al Aweer.

The highlight of the workshop was a live emergency response exercise to deal with a situation of gas leakage from a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) truck rollover, in which the product is transferred using emergency rescue vehicles, in a simulation of a real-life dangerous situation.

The simulation exercise, which was the first of its kind in the UAE, aimed at increasing awareness on emergency response tactics and educating trainees on how to deal with major emergencies in the unlikely event of a LPG truck rollover and gas leakage.

Hesham Ali Mustafa, General Manager of Emirates Gas said: “We are delighted to provide equipments and relevant information to government entities in the UAE like Civil Defence and Dubai Police to ensure they are aware and fully equipped to handle LPG gas truck incidents on road. The event generated positive response and reinforces our commitment to adopting the highest standards of safety and protecting the environment. Through collective action, each member of the society can contribute towards safety on roads.”

Brigadier Rashid Al Thani Al Matrooshi, Director General of Dubai Civil Defence congratulated Emirates Gas and ENOC for organising the training workshop and said it immensely benefited their participating trainees. “Safety training is one of our core competencies and is an integral part of our responsibility towards the public. Learning how to deal with emergencies on the road has become a major issue that needs to be addressed to ensure a safe society. We appreciate the ongoing initiatives undertaken by Emirates Gas to develop the trainees’ skills on emergency response tactics and we look forward to further joint collaborations in the future.“

“With the fast development of the UAE, and Dubai in particular, it is vital to provide the highest safety standards, which is part of our social responsibility. To achieve this, we have brought qualified experts trained in the USA to provide training to government departments and share their expertise on how to handle LPG incidents,” Mustafa added.