Emirates’ recruitment programme has exploded in the past five years and will continue to grow into the next decade, according to the carrier’s recruitment manager Rick Helliwell.
Celebrating record half-yearly profits of $251 million and 20 years of operation, a landmark reached in October, the Dubai-based carrier appears in robust health – a mood reflected in bullish hiring plans.
When Helliwell joined the group in 2000, 16-20 pilots were being assessed for selection each month. That figure now stands at 80 a month and this may shortly be increased to 100 a month.
Similarly extravagant numbers need to be brought on board across a range of disciplines. Four intakes of cabin crew, totalling around 60-70 individuals, are now recruited every week, for example, and this will need to increase as Emirates starts to take delivery of more than 40 Airbus A380s.
An expanded engineering team will also be necessary to look after widebody aircraft in addition to the A380s, arriving at a rate of more than one every month until 2012.
Emirates conducts all its own heavy maintenance, a function already outsourced at many airlines, with others, such as Qantas, moving towards that option.
In additiion, the carrier faces the challenge of its dedicated terminal at Dubai International airport opening for business in early 2007, which will require 600-700 new staff for Emirates and at least a similar number for its ground-handling and services operation Dnata.
As more and more talented individuals are required to fuel Emirates’ growth, with around 10,000 people needing to be added by the end of the decade to make a workforce of 35,000, Helliwell recognises his task may become more difficult.
Emirates is therefore looking further afield than ever for personnel – Helliwell has recently travelled to China to talk to agencies there about recruiting Chinese staff to come and work in Dubai.
“We already have some Chinese staff,” says Helliwell, “but this is our first concerted venture into China. We will probably mainly be looking for cabin crew and airport service desk staff, but we will also explore the opportunities for technical roles.”
Helliwell says that it is vital Emirates continues to market itself effectively to potential employees both within and outside the industry and stress the attractive lifestyle on offer in the Gulf.
“We can offer a lot for individuals,” he says. “Our benefits are attractive and we make a strong investment in staff and looking after staff. We have a lot to assist us in remaining competitive on the global employment market.”
Source: Flight International
