Expanded aeronautical school to provide modern, first-class training facilities

The newly-opened premises of the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport, Ogle, will provide more modern, convenient and first-class facilities for aviation professionals to acquire critical technical skills.

Delivering the feature address at the opening ceremony on Wednesday afternoon, Minister of Education Sonia Parag said the new facility represents a significant investment in improving the quality of aeronautical training in Guyana.

“This new building represents an investment in improving the quality of aeronautical training. It provides more modern, convenient and first class facilities in which aviation engineers and other professionals can acquire the knowledge and technical skills required for a demanding and highly specialised industry,” Parag said.

The Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School, which was founded in 1993, has evolved into a successful training organisation that prepares aviation professionals from Guyana and across the Caribbean.

Chairman of the school, Captain Paul Ronald Reece, said the institution has played a key role in developing the country’s aviation workforce.

He noted that more than 95 percent of engineers and mechanics currently working in Guyana have passed through the school, which he described as a regional leader in aviation education.

“Our school is a regional leader in aviation education, supporting the aviation industrial endeavours in Guyana,” Reece said.

The school offers specialised programmes for Aircraft Maintenance Engineer licences, a Bachelor of Science in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, as well as modular certificate courses, diploma, associate degree and degree programmes.

Currently, the ISO9001 certified institution has over 200 students and provides both theoretical instruction and practical hands-on workshop training at Ogle Airport, preparing graduates for careers in the aviation industry and other technical fields.

Reece also noted that several graduates have secured employment in the oil and gas sector due to the discipline and qualifications gained during their training.

Persons seeking to enroll in the school are required to have five CSEC passes, including Mathematics and English.