Cathay Pacific joins hands with PolyU to launch pilot training programme in Hong Kong, and plans to hire 4,000 front-line employees

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The new integrated course will be between 55 to 60 weeks long, and the majority of cadet-training activities will be conducted locally.

To better prepare for the rebounding global demand for flights and travel, Cathay Pacific has collaborated with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) to launch a cadet pilot training programme, and has also started a comprehensive hiring plan.

The two parties signed a three-year agreement on 5 September 2022 (Monday) to collaborate on a new integrated course for Cathay Pacific’s cadet pilot training programme, aiming to cultivate local aviation industry talent and develop Hong Kong as a hub for aviation training.

The new 55-60 week integrated course comprises three stages: theory, simulator training and flight training. PolyU will provide a 150-working-day ‘Theoretical Ground Training’ course that includes a minimum of 750 hours of instruction and examination in areas including principles of flight, meteorology, human performance, general navigation, instrumentation, radio navigation, air law and more.

The majority of cadet-training activities will be conducted in Hong Kong to help cadet pilots familiarise themselves with the local aviation facilities and relevant organisations, such as the CAD, Hong Kong Air Traffic Control, the Hong Kong Airport Fire Contingent, Cathay Pacific maintenance providers such as HAECO, and the expertise of PolyU and the Cathay Pacific Training Centre.

Successful candidates will then commence flight training overseas before returning to Cathay City for multi-crew simulator training.

The first batch of 24 candidates have already started the integrated course at PolyU in March and are scheduled to commence flight training in October after they have completed the ground theory portion of the programme.

In parallel with the new integrated course, Cathay Pacific is also conducting cadet pilot training courses based upon the original programme module in Adelaide.

The Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung said the signing ceremony marked a new milestone in Hong Kong's aviation industry since this is the first time that aviation theory courses would be taught by a local institution. Professor Wing-tak Wong, PolyU Deputy President and Provost, also said the university will continue to collaborate with industry partners to develop more professional qualifications and training programmes in support of the development of the civil aviation industry.

Meanwhile, Augustus Tang, Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer, revealed the airline has already started a comprehensive plan to meet the rising global demand for travel.

"(We) plan to hire 4,000 front-line employees to meet our operational needs over the next 18-24 months. This includes over 700 pilots, of which 400 are cadet graduates joining as Second Officers by the end of 2023,"  said Tang. "Overall, we aim to train more than 1,000 cadet pilots by 2025.”

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