Bahrain takes off into aviation excellence with the graduation of its first EASA certified aircraft engineers. On December 26th, 70 students from the BAS Aviation Engineering and Training Centre (BAETC) celebrated this new and important step two years of intense theoretical studies with a ceremony at the Movenpick Hotel, in Murraraq.

The event was held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa Deputy Prime Ministry on the 26th December 2010.  The proud graduates and their families were welcomed by BAS’s Chairman Mr Fawzi Kanoo “It is an honor and a point of pride that you are the first students in the Kingdom to gain this certificate,” declared Mr. Kanoo in his speech, “I also hope our students will contribute to the development of the sector within Bahrain.”

According to Manager of Training George Martin, the graduates wouldn’t have come this far without the support they get at home. “The passion of the Bahraini families is quite unique, so I thank the family and friends for supporting these youngsters and for being there when things get tough”, he states. For Mr. Martin, having certified, aircraft engineers graduated in the Kingdom really puts Bahrain on the aviation map – and it is only the beginning. “The training is the foundation of their future success, so now it is time to build on it and use the skills they have learned to impress those who will follow in their footsteps.”

The EASA Certified B1 Aircraft Engineering Training is a joint partnership of BAETC and Serco Kanoo Training Solutions (SKTS). SKTS was appointed to improve facilities, increase performance and install best-practice to BAETC. Salman Al Mahmeed DCEO added to the sentiments of the day saying “We aim to be the best training institution in the field of aircraft engineering by providing our students with opportunities to engage in lifelong learning and enable them to be career directed, productive, adaptable and fulfilled.  We have students enrolled as school leavers, some changing career paths with many graduates sponsored and funded by Tamkeen, the semi-automomous yet independent authority which promotes employability, job creation and entrepreneurial development in the Kingdom.”

BAETC is recognized by the most prestigious accreditation authority in the world. The Training Center was the first in the Middle East  to receive a full accreditation by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and has been awarded the EASA 147.0002 certificate.

And the search for excellence does not stop here. Manager of Training George Martin plans to expand the curriculum with specialized training courses, such as Electrical Wiring Interconnection Systems (EWIS), Human Factors and Fuel Tank Entry, which are mandatory for airline companies every two years, all in order to avoid human error and improve aircraft safety. “Having these courses here would be much cheaper than sending the students to get their certification abroad, and it would also expand specialist aviation training in the kingdom”, he believes