Etihad keeps recruiting Islanders - this time Ireland-

MORE THAN 300 people applied for about 50 jobs based in Abu Dhabi at an open day held by Etihad Airways in Dublin yesterday. About 200 applicants attended in person while at least 100 sent in CVs, with more expected to apply.

Many of those at the open day in the Burlington Hotel were former employees with SR Technics, which announced over 1,100 job cuts earlier this year.

One man told The Irish Times he had worked as an aircraft maintenance engineer with SR Technics for 10 years. He has been out of work since June and is drawing the dole for the first time in his life. The 47-year-old said he has no other option but to look for work abroad. “I have three children, I’m married. I have two of them in college in the UK at the moment. It’s very hard trying to pay for that when you’re on social welfare.”

He said that he and his former colleagues were highly skilled in specialised industries, adding that the revenue created by these jobs was a huge loss to the country.

Fawzi Kilali (47), formerly an aircraft mechanic with SR Technics, has been living in Ireland for 14 years. He said he had to go abroad in order to retain his aviation qualifications. “Your licence might not be updated if you don’t keep working in the same field.”

Silviu Bulai (26), a qualified aircraft mechanic, applied for both a technical job and for a cabin crew position. “When my apprenticeship finished I was struggling to find even small contracts,” he said.

One man, still employed in line maintenance at SR Technics, said he applied to Etihad because he fears his job will be at risk when the summer high season ends.Another, a cabin crew applicant, is currently employed with Aer Lingus. “You don’t know whether your job will go next,” he said.

Etihad Airways chief executive James Hogan said the company was recruiting in Ireland because of the highly skilled workforce. Successful applicants will be moving to Abu Dhabi where personal incomes are not liable to tax.