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By Chinelo Obogo
Seven aviation professionals in Nigeria were among the 2,077 graduands from the Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State at its 20th graduation ceremony held on Sunday.
The professionals were enrolled for an 18 months course by Sabre Network West Africa, the leading airline distribution solution provider in Airline and Travel Management Course about two years ago.
Sabre Network partnered with Babcock University to pioneer the Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in aviation studies for professionals in the sector.
Speaking on the graduation ceremony and partnership with Babcock University, Dr. Gabriel Olowo, President, Sabre Network West Africa, said that the company has been desirous over the years to fill the gross manpower shortage especially, in commercial aviation where airline wealth is generated.
Olowo stated that management ineptitude due to poor commercial knowledge has led to the collapse of many airlines, not just in the country, but on the continent, stressing that such courses would lead to improved performances by airlines in Nigeria.
The Aviation Round Table (ART) President also expressed delight with the number of aviation graduands at the university, assuring that the number would continue to climb regularly.
He said: “There exists a big vacuum of commercial men in the airlines and even in regulation as they are almost gone into extinction, hence the initiative to produce the next level of management executives for the sector. A pioneer effort like this will face its cycle of growth, but the start-up has been very encouraging given the cost of an MBA programme at a first class university like Babcock and present state of the Nigerian economy.”
Also commenting, the First Vice President, Sabre Network, Mr. Emmanuel Ishola, said that the company, in collaboration with the university, wanted to fill the present vacuum in the system by pioneering training of professionals for the industry, especially at the managerial level.
“Sabre discovered that the airlines are no longer training for the industry. So, we sat down to help to sustain the growth in the sector by impacting knowledge, using the present professionals in the industry to mentor the upcoming professionals.
“We decided to talk to Babcock University and other universities in Nigeria, but Babcock University was the first to embrace this idea. So, we both agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to start the programme. Since then, it has been progress for the two parties and for us, it is a dream come through,” he said.
One of the graduands, Oluwadamilola Alexandra, lauded Sabre Network for pioneering the course for aviation professionals in Nigeria.
