Riyadh Air, which is the newly founded airlines of the ‘Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’ has made an important stride towards its first flight slated for 2025.
The newly launched airline has received its first group of 27 female students who have become certified aircraft engineering technicians. The girls underwent a 30-month diploma course to receive their certification. This is a historic move for Saudi Arabia. The young women engineers will be trained by Aviation Australia and the International Aviation Technical College at the Riyadh Airport.
This joint venture is a result of a memorandum of understanding which was signed between Riyadh Air and the Colleges of Excellence in 2023. Several other collective efforts have also seen the light of day owing to this MoU between the two companies.
The chosen 27 girls were picked by scrutinising thousands of applications sent in by young girls with high school diplomas and an outstanding academic record. The decision to train and women in its inaugural program highlights Riyadh Air’s commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion. The decision has set an inspirational precedent for women’s inclusion in the aviation industry.
Tony Douglas, CEO, Riyadh Air, said, “Riyadh Air is an airline that will challenge perceptions while representing the modern, dynamic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Diversity and inclusion are an important pillar of our business and introducing young women to the technical side of our airline demonstrates that we are serious about creating an airline that meets the expectations of Vision 2030. We are fortunate that our engineers are students at the International Aviation technical College under the Colleges of Excellence banner and accredited by Aviation Australia, one of the most prestigious global aviation schools and we fully expect these ladies to be part of the future leadership of Riyadh Air.”
