Second Women in Aviation General Assembly to meet in May

Hosted by Airport Show 2017 that will take place May 15-17, the General Assembly and Student Career Orientation Programme is being organised in partnership with Women in Aviation (Middle East Chapter) and will involve participation of aviation experts of international acclaim and over 200 attendees. The forum will help connect government and private companies, which are keen on hiring women, with aspiring professionals in the aviation sector. 

With women constituting over 60 per cent of Arab countries’ science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates (according to UNESCO), the forum is taking active measures to enhance their participation in the Middle East’s robust and rapidly growing aviation sector, which contributes over $157.2 billion to the GDP and generates more than 2.4 million jobs. In Dubai alone, the aviation sector is estimated to contribute 37.5 per cent to its GDP and support over 750,000 jobs by 2020. 

Laila Hareb, Assistant Director General - Aviation Strategies and International Affairs at General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), said: “Women in the UAE are making their mark across all sectors. In line with the vision of our leaders toward driving women’s participation in the national development of the nation, I would invite women to be a part of this highly important forum and of the aviation sector, particularly to tap into the numerous opportunities offered in the booming aviation sector in the Middle East, which has a very strong growth outlook. Airports across the region are investing to the tune of millions of dollars toward expansion and the region is also set to be the fastest growing region in the world for the airline industry. The region has no shortage of talent and there is a perfect opportunity for the industry to tap into the talent pool and, for those aspiring to be a part of this sector, to avail of the opportunity.”