This event is a Joint Aviation Awareness Programme (JAAP) initiative by the National Department of Transport, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), the Free State Provincial Departments of Education, Police, Roads, and Transport, as well as the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality.

The MEC for Police, Roads and Transport, William Bulwane, encourages learners to choose subjects that will enable them to be able to study and choose a career in aviation. “Some of these careers need students who took and passed subjects such as Mathematics and Physical Sciences,” he explains. He says they decided to have the event during National Transport Month and also to raise awareness among learners that there are different aviation careers that learners can choose from.

“We took learners from disadvantaged backgrounds in order to show them the variety of careers they can have. We need more people in these types of careers.” Bulwane concludes that they were never given such opportunities while they were growing up, so he believes this information is key and with the information they have handed over to different learners today, every learner will make a decision that will be fruitful for them in the future.

One of the many careers exhibited at the career expo was being a fire and emergency fighter at the airport and at the aircraft. A firefighter for Bram Fischer Airport, Thato Likhang, says that being a firefighter for an aircraft is an intriguing job, it involves a lot of responsibility and training. He demonstrated how to use the tools and also showcased how to react in case of a fire or emergency, he also encourages learners to seek a career in aviation because it can be fun and exciting.

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