May 30, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 24, 1429

KARACHI, May 29: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will launch a apprenticeship training programme to impart technical education in the field of aviation to youths at its training institute in Hyderabad.

Established in 1982 under the aegis of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the Civil Aviation Training Institute (CATI) provides training in the field of Air Traffic Services, Aviation Management & Administration, Rescue & Fire Fighting Services, Electronics Engineering, Communication Operations and Electromechanical Engineering.

CATI Principal Mujahid Islam Khan told a team of journalists visiting the institute that the apprenticeship programme would be launched within a fortnight and candidates would be selected under the quota system from among the applicants coming from the entire country.

He said that a proposal had been sent to the government for approval of stipends for the candidates.

He said that the CAA was working on a plan aimed at attaining the status of academy for the CATI. The Authority was in touch with the Sindh governor and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in this regard, he added.

Spread over an area of 100 acres, the institute has imparted training to 10,406 people, including 504 foreigners, 723 candidates from the corporate sector and 362 officials of the armed forces, over the past 26 years.

Mr Khan stated that as part of its restructuring programme, the CAA was also planning to generate revenues by offering courses to foreigners on a commercial basis. “People from various countries want to come here for training because such training in the US and Europe is very expensive,” he said.