13 graduate from Guyana Civil Aviation Training School
Guyana Civil Aviation Training School on Wednesday conducted a graduation exercise for 13 trainees who successfully completed Aeronautical Information Management and Air Traffic Control Assistant training.
The planned 12-week training course commenced on February 3 at the Control Tower Complex at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, but was temporarily suspended on March 17 when the COVID-19 pandemic begun impacting Guyana.
The aviation ab initio training course which prepares trainees for employment in the air navigation services directorate of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) eventually resumed virtually on April 6.
The thirteen successful trainees have begun on-the-job training which will run for approximately 3 months and will be followed by facility checks.
Minister with responsibility for Aviation, Hon. Bishop Juan Edghill, who addressed that graduating class virtually, congratulated the trainees and urged them to take up additional online training opportunities that will become available.
During his address, Minister Edghill said, “You have no doubt chosen to embark on a career that can be considered highly safety critical, and requires an extremely great amount of discipline, at a time when Guyana is evidently at the cusp of exponential economic growth and development, with the aviation sector being faced with equal growth potential and I dare say that you are going to have to share the responsibility of ensuring this country and the aviation sector attain the necessary ‘attitude’ in achieving its optimum ‘altitude’.”
The minister also commended the GCAA for bringing the course to its conclusion even though it was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. He further thanked the management and staff of GCAA and the training school, as it shows the organization’s willingness to adapt and move on.
Selena Singh who topped the class, received a prize for the accomplishment, while Lisa Frazer was awarded the prize for most improved student.
Other members of the graduating class include Khemraj Adhin, Rainette Benfield, Tisha Edwards, Edson Emmanuel, Stefan Ferreira, Jephia Griffith, Xhavana Lake-Stoll, Le Shante Marks, Martin Nedd, Chakada Ralph and Solomon Skeete.
The aviation school was formed in 1976 to meet the needs of the organization and continues to fulfill its mandate decades later under the stewardship of veteran air traffic controller Clifford VanDoimen.
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