The South African Airways,SAA has urged students in the secondary and tertiary institutions in Nigeria to take careers in the aviation industry as the potential therein is humongous.
Describing the the industry as untapped, the Regional Manager, SAA, Mr. Ohis Ehimiaghe said a lot of opportunities abounds in the sector and the students can chose any area they want to be.
“So you can be anything you chose to be in this industry as well, why everybody is looking at other industries and sectors, this is an untapped industry, this is an industry that has great potential for everyone of you, so am encouraging you to key into it, tap into it and make the best of it”.
Speaking at the grand finale of the 2nd South African Airways Essay Competition in conjunction with Travel and Business News in Lagos, the SAA Regional Manager noted that the aviation industry is not only complex but also very interesting, adding that all those who have participated in writing and emerged as finalists to defend their write-ups have been exposed to the industry called Aviation.
“Part of your history is that there is something called aviation, its a huge industry and very complex industry and extremely interesting industry, you want to be a medical doctor in the future, we have medical doctors working in the aviation sector, you want to be engineers?who do you think makes those aircraft, they are engineers, you want to work in the travel and tourism industry? The potential is there, so what we are saying in essence is that this little essay that you have written have exposed you to the fact that there is an industry called aviation which is wide and huge, the opportunities in aviation industry is humongous”.
National Sales Manager, SAA, Mrs. Kemi Leke-Bamtefe said South African Airways is proud to be associated with the Travel and Business news as the chief sponsor of the essay on a yearly basis because the the airline believes in youth empowerment and development as this is what drives them as an airline.
” we have been in existence for 84 years, in December this year, SAA will be 20 years in Nigeria, if you are a part of this already you are a winner”.
Mrs. Leke-Bamtefa announced that winners of the essay with the topic: Youth Participation in the Nigerian Democracy will be given gifts and air tickets to South Africa.
” we have cash prizes for the winners, the overall winner we have a return ticket to South Africa and will be accompanied by a parent with a free ticket”.
Chairman of the Assessors of the essay competition and Acting Managing Director, Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited SAHCOL, Mr. Basil Agbaorumi appealed to teachers to guide their students in competitions like this instead of helping them to write, adding that such action can never help the students to learn.
He said the team is not happy that during the marking of the scripts written by the students, it was observed that some teachers wrote for their students and photocopied and gave to others to submit same written-ups as entries.
“It shows that the teachers did not allow the children to use their brain to do what they did, rather, they wrote it for them and gave it to them to submit”.
He also cautioned parents,”And also, the parents who have this children, they all left them to the mercy of the teachers, which is not good, charity they say begins at home, so a child that will do well outside or do well tomorrow, if the foundation is destroyed, then off course there will be no building, especially when a child has to go out for an external competition like this South Africa airways, there is nothing bad if parents look at the script even if they don’t have time, they should get someone to look at it of what this child is taking out, because at the end of the day, when a child has done well, the glory goes to the parents”.
While speaking on the topic: Youth Participation in the Nigerian Democracy, the finalists from 9 schools, called on the youths to take their destinies in their hands, not to become an instrument for destruction in the hands of politicians who not mean well for them but to pursue peace, unity and development of the country.
Highlights of the event was the presentation of trophies to the 3 runner-up by the Regional Manager SAA including branded bags and souvenirs to all the finalists and their teachers as well books for the participating schools libraries.
The winners of the essay competition are; Enuebuka Sharon from Murtala Mohammed Airport Secondary School, MMASS won the 1st prize of N150,000 and a trip to South Africa, Akinselure Oluwatoni also from the MMASS won the2nd prize of N100,000 and Ofojetu Oueensley Kenechi of Queens College Yaba won the 3rd prize of a N50,000.
Stakeholders in the industry, students, their teachers, parents and the media were in attendance at the event spiced up with music performances by The Pacesetters.
