13 March 07

VIRGIN NIGERIA OFFERS SCHOLARSHIP TO ENGINEERING CADETS....offers them automatic employment opportunity

Lagos, Nigeria: 13 March 2007: Virgin Nigeria Airways Limited is partnering with the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria (NCAT) to develop Nigerian manpower through an apprenticeship programme by offering full sponsorship for five students of the college towards their certification as Engineers.

In line with this policy, Virgin Nigeria will also offer automatic employment opportunity to the students on successful completion of their cadetship programme. They will join the Engineering department of the airline as "Trainee Engineers" and will be nurtured in the best tradition of Virgin Nigeria.

Speaking on the commencement of the training programme, the Director of Engineering Services, Mr. Kevin Dudley said: "This NCAT cadetship training partnership is geared towards raising competent hands to bridge professional gaps in the industry", stressing that in time Nigerians will fully mount the saddle of leadership in line with increasing the local content policy of the airline.

"In the same vein we have a similar plan with NCAT, in collaboration with other airlines, to sponsor Graduate Engineer cadets that we have trained for several months exposing them to On the Job Training (OJT) on the standards, procedures and working culture of the airline", Kevin further stated.

The Virgin Nigerian and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) partnership is broad based and amenable towards producing competent professionals for the industry at large. NCAT programmes are run to set standards by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

About Virgin Nigeria:
Virgin Nigeria is the registered, fully private sector flag carrier of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, owned 51% by Nigerian Institutional shareholders and 49% by Virgin Atlantic.

The airline operates the following

intercontinental services:
Lagos to London: Daily
Johannesburg: Three times a week
 

Regional services:
Accra: Eleven times a week
Douala: Two times a week
Dakar: Two times a week

Domestic services:
Lagos - Abuja: Eight times daily
***Lagos - Port Harcourt: (Now diverted to Owerri two times daily)
Lagos - Kano: Six times a week
Abuja - Kano: Six times a week
Lagos - Sokoto (via Abuja): Three times a week
Abuja - Sokoto: Three times a week
Lagos- Calabar: Six times a week

For reservations, call (01) 460 0505; (01) 271 1111; (09) 461 0505; (084) 460505

For all press enquiries, please contact: corporatecommunications@virginnigeria.com

For media information in Nigeria only, please contact Corporate Communications, 3rd floor, Ark towers, Plot 17 Ligali Ayorinde Street, VI, or corpcomm@virginnigeria.com; 234 -1 – 2711144

For media information in the UK please contact the Virgin Atlantic Press Office on 01293 747 373.