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KCB Bank Kenya has partnered with Mang’u High School to scale its aviation training programme in what will see hundreds of students benefit in the next five years.
KCB will facilitate the equipping of the School’s aviation center, providing the students with hands-on experience in aviation and prepare them for careers in the aviation industry.
Kenya Airways has donated an aircraft—Boeing 737-700—to the school and KCB will facilitate its transfer from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to the Thika based facility and support in kitting the aviation center. The Bank has put in KShs.5 million towards the project.
“KCB remains committed in supporting the youth agenda and that includes access to skills development, business development support and financing. We believe that a strong investment in our youth today is a recipe for economic growth. Through this sponsorship, our goal is to inspire students to take up a career in the aviation sector with a long-term goal of mainstreaming it in our curriculum.” Said KCB Group CEO Paul Russo while making the donation.
The programme is expected to train a critical mass of future air traffic controllers, aircraft engineers, pilots among others.
Mang’u High School is one of the few schools in Kenya that offer aviation training, focusing on technical skills such as propulsion, thermodynamics, & meteorology. The aviation students undertake most of their studies at Wilson Airport & Moi Air Base in Eastleigh.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support we have received from KCB and other organisations. We believe that a strong aviation program is essential for preparing students for the future in this field, ” said Mang’u High School Board of Management Chairman, Mr. Anthony Maina Mithanga.
Government statistics show that Kenya has a deficit of over 2000 pilots and has an ambition of training at least 800 annually in the next five years.