.. as Nigeria marks 10th year
Over Seventy-Seven students including the less privileged have benefited from this year’s Aviation Career Education, ACE, Camp programme by the Nigeria Chapter of the National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees (NBCFAE).
The NBCFAE as a body exposes youths to career opportunities in the aviation industry. It was founded by six black Air Traffic Controllers in the US 45 years ago.
In an interview with newsmen in Lagos, the National President of NBCFAE, Mr. Freddie Green said, over one million dollars scholarships have been awarded to worthy students across the globe for aviation career since its inception 45 years ago and had each year awarded scholarships to over 200 and some years 50.
“Most years we have had an average of a 100, so you can see over ten years multiple up by the amount of students and see how many students we have impacted across Lagos and some of the neighboring states”.
Green said the scholarships have helped the students to further their career and helped them to move on to Aviation related fields.
“Am impressed, wonderful. Our local chapter, they are very enthused, they are very active and they take great pride in opening the world of Aviation to the young students of Nigeria” .
On her part, Mrs. Funmi Adeyemi General Secretary NBCFAE Nigeria Chapter, explained that Aviation career Education, (ACE) was organized for children so as to help them know the career opportunities that were available in the Aviation industry as some of them were only aware of pilots, hostesses, ATC and they do not know of the other professions in the sector.
“So this is an avenue to prepare their minds and to bring their interest in to the Aviation industry”.
Adeyemi noted that some of the students nurtured by the Coalition have been able to go further their studies in aviation in the United States and some exchange programmes.
According to her, last year the Nigeria unit had an essay competition where they were gave out two scholarships.
“We had good reports of them and is one of the things we are trying to incorporate this year again to have like a mentorship programme for a few set of students and we see how that goes one year from now”.
Adeyemi explained that, this year, there was a lot of career talks, activities that introduce them to some games we do in Aviation, likes aircraft, cartography, mashallars, security, immigration as well as physical exercise, takwado and a tour of the airside.
On the large number of participants from the US to attend the program, she said, it was as a result of the track record that the unit has been able to sustain and also being the 10th edition of the Academy they came emass to support them.
The 10th year edition of the NBCFAE ACE Camp was supported by the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS at the Lagos International Airport.
