First-year students from the Aviation Technology Department at Najaf Technical Institute have begun their summer field training at Najaf International Airport, an important step aimed at providing them with the practical experience necessary for the job market. The training program lasts for two consecutive months, and is supervised by the Head of the Department, Engineer Hazem Al-Zarfi, in addition to Engineer Ali Hassan Khudair as academic supervisor, and Engineer Mohammed Shawkat Al-Bayati, Director of the Aviation Area at Najaf Airport, as field supervisor.
The summer training serves as a bridge between academic knowledge and practical application, providing students with a unique opportunity to observe the actual work environment in the aviation sector. The students’ first field tour, accompanied by their supervisors, covered all vital airport facilities, including passenger lounges, the control tower, aircraft parking areas, technical workshops, and ground handling sites, with a focus on security and safety procedures. The program aims to enable students to understand the airport’s administrative structure and familiarize themselves with its basic departments and functions, such as airport operations, safety and firefighting, passenger services, and equipment maintenance. Students will also learn about the systems and procedures approved by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), as well as methods for managing air traffic and handling specialized ground support equipment.
Within the program, students are divided into four working groups to ensure maximum benefit from the training. These groups cover the following areas:
Group 1: Airport Operations and Ground Services.
Group 2: Maintenance and Technical Support.
Group 3: Safety and Security.
Group 4: Passenger Services and Air Navigation.
In turn, the Dean of the Institute, Professor Dr. Al-Abdeli, commended the management of Najaf International Airport for supervising the training of the Institute’s students, saying, “I am pleased to see our students in the Aviation Technology Department gaining valuable practical experience at Najaf International Airport. I extend my sincere thanks to those in charge and supervising the training of our students at Najaf International Airport. This training is a significant academic step in their professional careers. It embodies our vision of linking theoretical knowledge with practical application, ensuring that our graduates possess the skills and competencies required to meet the challenges of the labor market and effectively contribute to the development of our country’s vital aviation sector.”
At the conclusion of the two-month training, each student will be required to prepare a technical research paper discussing a topic related to their training. This paper will be discussed in the training hall or on the apron. This will consolidate the acquired knowledge and link it to scientific research, qualifying them to become the next generation of aviation professionals in Iraq.
