In a bid to boost the country’s aviation industry manpower, National Institute of Transport has started a bachelor’s degree in aircraft maintenance and plans for a similar course for pilots.
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| Some NIT students looking at an aircraft that is parked at the institute's new hangar in Dar es Salaam over the weekend (Photo: Prosper Makene) |
NIT Rector Dr Zacharia Mganilwa said the country aviation industry is facing shortage of qualified personnel hence many plane owners service their equipment in abroad.
“In this academic year we have started a new bachelor’s degree course of aircraft maintenance and engineering and before end of the year we could add another training course for pilots,” Dr Mganilwa said.
He said the aim is to see more aircraft engineers and pilots are available in the domestic market so that plane owners should not seek such services abroad.
He added: “In this academic year we have so far enrolled about 40 students who are taking bachelor’s degree in aircraft maintenance and engineering. Many of the Tanzanian pilots and aircraft engineers are almost retiring, that’s why we need new blood in the industry.”
Meanwhile Works, Transport and Communication Minister, Prof Makame Mbarawa will next Saturday inaugurate an aircraft hangar at NIT.
Dr Mganilwa said construction of their state-of-art aircraft hangar is part of NIT’s efforts to boost training of aviation industry engineers and pilots.
He said the aircraft hangar will provide space for a hands on training to students who are pursuing aircraft engineering degree courses.
Supporting the NIT Rector’s arguments, Dodoma based Central Aviation Services Ltd, Accountable Manager, Heri Shekighenda admitted that the country is facing shortage of aircraft engineers which forces some of the aircraft operators to service their planes abroad.
“It’s true that we have very few aircraft engineers in the market, I believe National Institute of Transport will make it possible have more qualified people that will provide aircraft services,” Shekighenda said.
NIT will produce 200 aircraft engineers within the next five years to support the aviation industry which is growing at 12 percent annually.
Currently most of the engineers and pilots are trained abroad especially in South Africa at an average cost of 100m/- each.
Source: The Guardian
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