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Jamaica
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The Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ) recently awarded scholarships to 33 students aged between 17 and 25 to pursue training in piloting and airport management & operations.
Each scholarship covers up to 90 per cent of the costs associated with their education, including tuition and course fees.
The AAJ President’s Aviation Scholarship, specifically established for students at Clarendon College interested in piloting, was presented during a ceremony at the Spanish Court Hotel.
The scholarships, which come with an annual budget of approximately $34 million, are renewable each year and can be utilized at accredited aviation institutions approved by the AAJ. This initiative aims to address the significant skills gap in Jamaica’s aviation industry and nurture the future generation of aviation professionals.
Charlton McFarlane, Principal Director at the Ministry of Transportation, emphasised that the Aviation Scholarship Programme responds to the increasing need for skilled workers in the sector. He highlighted a critical global shortage in the aviation industry, predicting a shortfall of over a quarter of a million pilots worldwide in the next decade.
In response to this demand for qualified talent, the scholarship program is focused on developing private pilots, aircraft mechanics, and airport operations professionals.
McFarlane noted that the annual budget would assist 14 deserving Jamaicans each year, ensuring that financial obstacles do not impede their aspirations.
Audley Diedrick, President of the AAJ, introduced the AAJ President’s Aviation Scholarship for Clarendon College, acknowledging the school’s vital role in shaping leadership within the AAJ, having produced three successive heads of the organization: Howard Taylor, Earl Richards, and himself.
Originally announced in 2022 as the Clarendon College Aviation Scholarship Award at the school’s annual graduation ceremony, it has now been rebranded as the AAJ President’s Aviation Scholarship.
Among the awardees, Ashley, who is in her final year at the Aviation College of the Americas, expressed her joy, saying, “I’m on cloud nine, as my captain would say.” She learned about the scholarship from her former lecturer, Captain Edward Miller, and was excited and nervous when she was informed of her selection for the interview.
Another recipient, Kurt Spencer, who is training to become a pilot at the Aeronautical School of the West Indies, shared his enthusiasm for the opportunity to continue his training and connect with professionals in the aviation field. “I want to fly commercial airplanes, but I will fly anything that gets me in the air. I’m open to learning, whether it’s a helicopter or jets. I’m ready to embrace the opportunities,” he stated.
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