Pakistan

To meet the need: CAA opened 7 aerospace colleges in past one year

Plans to set up two more centres next month in Faisalabad and Sukkur

Irfan Ghauri November 29, 2015

PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: In an effort to cater to the growing demand in domestic and international aviation industry, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has opened seven new aerospace engineering colleges during the past one year.

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had only one such institution – the PIA Training Centre (PTC) Karachi – which was set up in 1975.

However, after a long gap of almost 40 years, the aviation authority is all set to add nine more training centres – with seven of them already opened.

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These new campuses have been opened in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Swat, Nawabshah, Quetta and Multan. The CAA plans to set up two more centres during next month in Faisalabad and Sukkur.

Once all these ten training centres – basically, campuses of the PTC – complete, they will be capable to produce over 600 engineers every year. Enrolled in the centres after intermediate, those completing four-year training from the PTC will be receiving degree of a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer, while those completing two-year programme will be offered senior technician certificates.

During a recent briefing to reporters, the PM’s Adviser on Aviation Shujaat Azeem said all these centres will be Easa (European Aviation and Safety Agency) certified. “Easa-145 certification for these institutes is in progress. We have hired an ex-training director of Lufthansa to head this project” he said.

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Azeem said as part of the new aviation policy, the project was launched keeping in view the expanding aviation industry in the world and to meet local demand. “The Idea behind opening these colleges across country is to reach the maximum population so that our youth can get a fair chance of making exceptional careers in aviation worldwide,” he said.

“Given the pace of the industry’s growth, only Middle Eastern countries would need more than 50,000 aerospace engineers and technicians in the next five years. We can tap their market if we can produce suitably trained manpower” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2015.