52 women occupy airline’s top posts

52 women have taken up top positions after going through Air Niugini’s emerging leaders’ program.

This also includes those appointed to managerial positions in Air Niugini’s subsidiary companies, proving the airline’s program a success.

25 staff members from the second tier management selected to participate in the initial program last year have now progressed to permanent managerial positions within the airline.

“The airline is very supportive of gender equity in the workforce and appointments of the womenfolk are based on individual merits, which include their years of industry knowledge, skills, qualification and experience,” says Air Niugini’s general manager, human resource, Rei Logona.

“Recently we had our first Air Niugini female general manager who was appointed to the senior executive team, Bonai Wala, and also the first female Fokker jet captain, Captain Beverly Paki.

“This demonstrates the airline’s commitment, continuous support and investment in its female workforce.”

Apart from appointments made through the Emerging Leaders’ Program, the airline has also appointed women to managerial positions outside the program, like Caroline Aribi and Freda Taralulu.

Air Niugini’s customer service manager for airline operations, Freda Taralulu, climbed her way up from outside of the program.

She is now part of the next batch of women who will be entering the Emerging Leaders’ Program.

Taralulu has seen her colleagues go through the program and believes it would help her build up her skill and knowledge in the airline company and help her field move forward and improve customer service in her department.

Air Niugini has invested up to K16 million each year for training and human resource development to ensure staff, including managers and team leaders, are provided relevant and required training.

Selection for the next lot of staff for the Emerging Leaders’ Program will be carried out soon.

Second tier management from different departments within the airline will attend the training based on their current work performance and potential for future career progression.

Author: 
Annette Kora