The International Air Transport Association (Iata), which is the representative body of the global airline industry, has announced that it is offering a free online training course for airline cabin crew who have lost their jobs because of the crisis in the commercial aviation sector. The crisis has been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and governmental actions to try and contain it.

Iata decided to create the course after a survey of 800 unemployed cabin crew established that 78% of them desired assistance in identifying skills that would allow them to move into other sectors. Those wishing to take part in the course must register with Iata (www.iata.org/en/training/courses/cabin-crew-skills/talh09/en/) between February 9 and February 23. 

“Tens of thousands of crew members have lost their jobs in this crisis,” pointed out Iata director of training Stéphanie Siouffi. “This offering is a salute to their service to the industry.”

The course, entitled ‘Cabin Crew – Leveraging Professional Skills’, was created with the help of former cabin crew members. It will allow cabin crew to recognise, improve and promote their existing professional skills to make them applicable and useful in other jobs. They will also receive practical preparation tips for job application processes, as well as benefit from the experiences of former cabin crew who have already switched to non-aviation jobs. 

“We hope to welcome (unemployed cabin crew) back to aviation, but for now many will need to seek opportunities to earn a livelihood in other sectors,” she stated. “Fortunately, they have the skills to make the transition. Applying Iata’s training expertise, we will help them to present these skills to potential employers.”

Iata has long been committed to providing training to aviation personnel. Before the pandemic, every year the association trained around 100 000 people from all over the world, in essential skills, so that they could develop their careers. Iata is offering this new training programme as part of the #WeAreAviation campaign.