OAS Helicopters Urges Girls’ Education, Mentorship to Boost Careers in Aviation
OAS Helicopters has called for increased investment in girls’ education, mentorship and professional training to encourage more young women to pursue careers in the aviation industry.
The Group Chairman of OAS Helicopters, Captain Evarest Nnaji, made the call in a message marking the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, emphasising the need to expand opportunities for girls to explore careers traditionally perceived as male-dominated.
With the aviation industry requiring technical expertise, discipline and leadership, Nnaji said greater access to education, career guidance and professional development would help girls translate their ambitions into meaningful careers.
In the message themed “Empowering Every Girl Child Today for a Brighter Tomorrow,” he maintained that the challenge was not a lack of ability among girls but limited access to the opportunities needed to develop their potential.
“The sky was never reserved for anyone,” he said, urging stakeholders to create an environment where girls could see aviation as an achievable career path.
Nnaji noted that careers in piloting, aircraft engineering and air traffic control had long been perceived as male-dominated, a perception he said could discourage girls from considering opportunities in these fields.
He stressed that greater visibility for women already working in aviation would help challenge these stereotypes, build confidence among young girls and demonstrate the range of professional opportunities available in the industry.
“At OAS Helicopters, we see what aviation demands every day: discipline, calm under pressure, technical mastery, teamwork. None of these qualities is gender-specific,” Nnaji said.
He added that the qualities required to succeed in aviation were equally relevant to leadership, business and community development, noting that expanding opportunities for girls would benefit society beyond the aviation sector.
The OAS Helicopters chairman called for early interventions to prepare girls for careers in the industry, including ensuring access to quality education, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
He also advocated mentorship programmes connecting girls with aviation professionals, alongside organised visits to aircraft hangars, terminals and other aviation facilities to provide practical exposure to the industry.
Nnaji further highlighted the importance of scholarships and structured training programmes to help girls progress from the classroom into professional aviation careers.
According to him, opportunities to interact with women pilots, aircraft engineers and air traffic controllers can help girls better understand the responsibilities associated with different roles and the steps required to pursue them.
He urged aviation operators and other industry stakeholders to move beyond general commitments to empowerment by supporting practical initiatives that provide girls with access to education, training, mentorship and career guidance.
“A brighter tomorrow is not delivered by chance. It is airlifted there, one deliberate choice at a time,” he said.
Nnaji reaffirmed the importance of creating an inclusive environment where girls could explore careers based on their interests, abilities and aspirations rather than gender stereotypes.
He said sustained investment in education, mentorship and professional development would help young girls view aviation not as a distant dream but as a realistic career option.
