Yemisi Izuora
The Academy Director at Lagos Aviation Academy (LAA), Mr. Bankole Bernard has called on students and aviation professionals to keep hope alive, even in the face of CODVID-19.
Noting that the pandemic has been a threat to the survival of many businesses in Nigeria and all over the world, Mr. Bernard points out that it was an opportunity for professionals to reflect, rediscover themselves, invest in personal development, read and learn new things online, and most importantly come out better at the end of it.
Encouraging students and staff of the academy, as well as industry professionals, Mr. Bernard says: “What the world is going through right now as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is truly disheartening but we must not let it weigh us down, rather, we must invest in ourselves by making sure we are better people when we come out of this.”
He also adds that it is important for everyone to bear in mind that the end of the spread of the virus would be near if we all play a collective role of staying at home and abiding by the safety measures as directed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
“The aviation industry has suffered a major impact from the hit of the pandemic, the airspace has been shut down, flights are being cancelled, customers are requesting refunds, some passengers are stranded, jobs and salaries are on the line but I would like to encourage everyone to stay strong. We will surely overcome this and remember the saying by Robert Schuller – Tough times never last, only tough people do,” he adds.
In the same vein, Mr. Bernard also notes that Lagos Aviation Academy (LAA) has moved some of its lectures online till the lockdown is finally over. He explains: “In February, we announced that we would be commencing our online courses in the second quarter of the year, the pandemic caught us all unawares but we will use this opportunity to refine our processes. For now, we have moved the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Courses online, we have communicated to our students and this has started already.”
Explaining further about the online classes, the General Manager at Lagos Aviation Academy, Ms. Chinasa Mbene says: “Currently, we are only able to run the IATA classes online because every other course would requires practical and supervision. However, for students who would be joining our online classes, we wish to reassure you of our commitment to delivering our best at all times.”