Boeing has collaborated with Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL) to start first-of-its-kind one-year accelerated aircraft maintenance engineer apprenticeship programme in India.
The programme will be a part of the Government’s skill development initiative and run as a finishing school at the Air India engineering facility in Kalina. The programme also include working on an operational Boeing aircraft.
For the first batch of 25 students, Boeing has set up a smart classroom equipped with advanced training aids. The programme also has a customised curriculum developed by Boeing experts to skill Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs).
The programme was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha who termed it a milestone for Boeing’s skill India initiatives. “Hands-on experience on an aircraft, a state-of-the-art classroom with a world-class curriculum will help AMEs,” he said.
“Students will be instructed by qualified Air India instructors who have been trained by Boeing in the U.S. The AMEs will also get exposure on a Boeing aircraft, which will help them hone their maintenance skills and increase their employability,” Boeing India President Pratyush Kumar said.
The two organisation came together after realising that the lack of practical training has resulted in low employability of AMEs, of which only 2% receive type-rated licences. “To fill this gap, we announced the programme in 2017. It has received over 1,300 applications for the entrance examination which was held online across 10 cities in India,” Kumar said.
Marc Allen, president, Boeing International, said, “The aircraft manufacturer is proud to be a partner in this initiative in one of the fastest growing civil aviation markets in the world. We are committed to helping catalyse the growth of special skills needed for the Indian aerospace ecosystem, and create a capable workforce.”
