Dubai: The first day of the 'Promising Future' Career Fair in Civil Aviation commenced today, organized by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) at the Etihad Museum in Dubai. The event features the participation of 27 entities, including government authorities, airlines, manufacturers, and academic institutions related to the sector.
According to Emirates News Agency, the fair witnessed a significant turnout, with over 13,000 students and job seekers registered to participate across the two days of the event. Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the GCAA, expressed satisfaction with the high level of participation, highlighting the initiative's success and the interest shown by the next generation in opportunities within the UAE's aviation sector. He emphasized the positive engagement of partners in the aviation sector, which contributed to the event's success and reinforced the concept of integrated collaboration among various entities.
Al Suwaidi noted that civil aviation serves as a major economic driver, providing nearly one million direct and indirect jobs and contributing around 18% of the country's GDP. He highlighted the sector as a hub for innovation and technological advancement. With significant transformations expected due to technological developments, automation, artificial intelligence, sustainable aviation solutions, and advanced air mobility, organizing a career fair that unites all training and employment entities in civil aviation is essential to explore new opportunities and understand the sector's future needs.
On the first day, the GCAA announced the launch of a new award for aviation research, the AeroPioneers Research Award, which aims to recognize outstanding student research that contributes to aviation safety, security, and the development of future aviation systems. The award seeks to support research that provides practical value to the GCAA through regulation development, process improvement, and evidence-based decision-making, while encouraging studies that enrich aviation knowledge in alignment with national and international priorities.
The fair includes 20 career talk sessions over the two days, presented by participating airlines, airports, and national aviation entities, highlighting professional opportunities, required skills, and success stories in the sector. The first day featured sessions by Abu Dhabi Airports, Etihad Airways, SANAD, Airbus, Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS), Gulf Aircraft and Engineering Services (GAES), and the 'Love Your Sky' campaign.
The Career Fair is supported by strategic partners, with Abu Dhabi Airports and Etihad Aviation Group as Platinum Sponsors, SANAD as the Gold Sponsor, and Airbus as the Silver Sponsor. The event provides a platform to enhance engagement between leading aviation institutions and emerging national talent, demonstrating the importance of unifying training and employment entities to strengthen collaboration across the UAE civil aviation sector.
Participants in the exhibition include the UAE Space Agency, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Abu Dhabi Airports, Dubai Airports, Sharjah International Airport, Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, Fujairah International Airport, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Air Arabia, Etihad Engineering, Abu Dhabi Aviation, Dubai Air Navigation Services, SANAD, Airbus, Archer, Multi-Level Group (MLG), and academic institutions such as Emirates Aviation Academy, University of Sharjah, Higher Colleges of Technology, and Fujairah Aviation Academy.