ICATS earned positive response from airlines

The International Cabin Attendant Training School (ICATS) reported a positive response from the airline industry in terms of hiring aviation professionals from Cebu and the rest of the Visayas, following the intensive training launched by the flying school in Cebu recently.

ICATS president and chief executive officer (CEO) Princess Joy Garcia said that aside from the strong interest among Visayans to get a high-paying job as a flight attendant, airline companies have also responded positively to the development.

ICATS brought to Cebu its Connecting Flight Program, an initiative that aims to bring the training school closer to the FA aspirants living in the provinces.

Garcia mentioned that local carrier PAL Express for instance opened their doors to all aspiring cabin crew from Cebu.

Under ICATS' job assist program, nine out of the 11 graduates were able to qualify in the said hiring.

"Unfortunately no one passed the recruitment. But, it gave them enough experience to continue to fight the good fight of faith," said Garcia adding that the company is now preparing for another batch for recruitment of an international airlines based in the Middle East.

ICATS is embarking on an aggressive marketing promotion and training for aspiring FAs to help support the growth of the local and global aviation industry.

This positive turn out of interests from both sides (industry and aspiring FAs), prompted the company to consider opening a permanent FA training school in Cebu.

According to Garcia, some 11 aspiring FAs from Cebu joined the first batch of the training program, which ended this month.

Most of the batch 1 trainees were graduates of courses such as hotel and restaurant management, education and psychology.

"The trainees from Cebu are enthusiastic, joyful, energetic and very much open to the teachings and absorbed them well based on their exam results. Given the limited time for the training, they were able to perform at their optimum which is a great trait in becoming future aviation professionals,” said Garcia.

Aside from the continuous entry of international airlines to the country, local airline companies like PAL, Cebu Pacific, Air Asia, among others are expanding the routes in a bid to connect Philippines Islands via air transportation. This led to the exponential growth in the demand for local aviation professionals, specifically flight attendants. —