International women’s day: meet Meg Onyeukwu,training manager at dana air

 

Today is the international women’s day.

The International Women’s Day, March 8, is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The campaign theme for International Women’s Day 2022, is: #BreakTheBias

In line with the international women’s day, Mamaj Aviation blog is celebrating some leading women holding their own in the Aviation, travel and tourism industry in Nigeria. These are women working assiduously behind the scenes, pushing boundaries and leaving a mark!  Women, whose stories will inspire you…

Please introduce yourself, your name, where are you from?

My name is Mrs. Meg Onyeukwu. I am from Edo state and married to an Imo state indigene. I am blessed with two children.

Give us a brief career history. What inspired your career choice? What schools did you attend?

I had a close friend who was a cabin crew. Her impeccable cabin crew personality inspired me a great deal. I started my flying career in the year 2001 as an SNY, got promoted to the position of a Purser, then to cabin crew Instructor and now Training Manager till date. I graduated from Lagos State University

How many years have you spent in the Aviation Industry?

22 years.

You have been constantly working behind the scenes for years, training Cabin Crew, what is the most difficult and interesting part of training? Do you enjoy what you do?

Irrespective of how well you prepare for your training sessions, you should always expect the unexpected. Sometimes a session can have a great fun and upbeat starts, then easily turn into a nightmare. Some behaviors or attitudes can be predicted and it’s your job as a trainer to both anticipate and deal with them effectively.

The classroom training becomes interesting when you see the participants within a short period of time being transformed from their raw state to refined professionals.

Yes. I certainly do. I am elated whenever I see a crew that I trained excelling on the job.

What is your most memorable moment?

My most memorable moment as a cabin crew was when I was part of the team that operated a successful demo flight for my Airline in 2008 for their AOC process.

What challenges have you encountered on the job and on your journey to the top, especially as a female?

I will say there are minimal challenges in this regard,  given the fact that the profession is dominated by the female gender.

How have you been able to balance work life and family?

It hasn’t been easy, but lots of planning ahead and proper coordination is necessary for a balance.

With reference to this year’s campaign theme, what is your opinion about bias at the workplace against women? How can we change the narrative?

It is totally wrong. However, as women we will not relent but to continually aim higher even though we live in a male dominated society.

What advice do you have for the aspiring young women out there who may want to tow your line of profession?

I will like to state here that every aspect of life requires, Determination, Hard work, Focus and the God Factor. However, for emphasis I will advise the aspiring young women that the profession requires lots of hard work and resilience to excel.

Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

I see myself preparing for a life after active service in my profession