COPA
AIRLINES will carry out most of the maintenance of its aircraft in Panama
Thanks
to the Copa Airlines Aeronautical Technicians Academy (ATA) graduating 23 new
aeronautical maintenance technicians, who join the 84 previous graduates who
are already working for the airline, 90% of aircraft maintenance will be held
in Panama.
Source: Aviación Online
ATA,
financed by Copa Airlines, was founded in 2014 and its objective is to attract
talented young people who do not have the resources to pay for aeronautical
certifications, offering them free training in maintenance and inspection of
aeronautical systems so that they can then start working at the maintenance.
According
to the company, the young people receive scholarships from the Copa Airlines
Despega Foundation, which consists of a monthly economic contribution and an
additional one to cover transportation costs, life and health insurance,
uniform and materials associated with their training.
“At
Copa Airlines we promote the generation of Panamanian talent specialized in
technical areas of the aviation sector, with the aim of providing opportunities
for growth and development for the benefit of the local economy and, above all,
for the communities where we operate,” said Rafael Samudio , Vice President of
Technical Operations of Copa Airlines.
“A
few years ago, the aircraft maintenance services that we performed in Panama
were very few. This has been growing and as of November of this year, up to 90%
of these services will be executed in our Maintenance Center, located in the
Tocumen International Airport, and only 10% will be abroad”, he added.
Since
2014, 136 students have already graduated in 8 groups, while four groups with
89 students, 12% of them women, are in formation. In February 2023, two other
groups will be opened with 48 students, whose registration is open until
October 31.
Those
who are interested must have a secondary education degree recognized by the
Ministry of Education. "It is desirable that they be graduates of a
Professional Technical (Vocational) College, with a degree in any career in the
technical area, such as Electromechanics, Electricity, Electronics, General
Mechanics or Automotive Mechanics," they said from the airline.
The executive emphasized that all students who enter ATA have a scholarship granted by the Despega Foundation of Copa Airlines, which provides a monthly economic contribution, and in addition covers all transportation expenses, life and health insurance, uniform and materials associated with their training at no cost to the student, so they should not have an excuse to study. Currently, in the world as in Panama there is a growth in aviation, which requires a demand for technicians and we need to have more professionals from this career.
"In our airline we promote the generation of Panamanian talent specialized
in technical areas of the aviation sector, with the aim of providing
opportunities for growth and development for the benefit of the local economy
and especially for the communities where we operate" , he highlighted. For
his part, Pedro Heilbron, executive president of Copa Airlines, highlighted
that a few years ago aircraft maintenance services is that we performed in
Panama were very few. However, as of November of this year, these services have
been growing up to 90% and will be running in "our maintenance center,
located at the Tocumen International Airport, and only 10% will be
abroad", he commented.
The
next ATA registration period will take place from October 1 to 31, and the
selection tests will take place during the months of November and December.