Internship Preparation Analysis: Gulf Center for Aviation Studies - Personal Statement Example

Internship Preparation Report: Gulf center for Aviation studies (GCAS) Name Institution Course Name Institution Instructor Date Introduction Gulf center for Aviation studies (GCAS) a highly accredited training institution offering high quality programs and courses relevant in the aviation industry. As a fully fledged learning institution, the organization offers numerous working opportunities for professionals in a number of fields. As an organization that uses some of the most advanced technologies training as well as administrative purposes, GCAS requires a well equipped IT department that oversees all IT operations including security and networking. As an IT Security & Networking, then GCAS is a suitable internship destination. It is for this reason that I am interested in learning more about this organization and what I can offer and learn during my internship there. Some of the highlights are the organization’s values, culture and mission and how they are integrated in its functions and IT functions. This report thus introduces the GCAS and highlights my interest and knowledge of the organization as I look forward to commence my summer internship there as part of course requirement. Background Industry description In a demand-supply market dichotomy, learning institutions, including GCAS and Zayed University, act as suppliers while employers act as consumers who drive demand. However, there are instances where the organizations play both roles of supplier and consumer such as the case of GCAS. In the face of growing competition in the supply side, institutions are developing more specific courses to meet demand as consumers become more specific about the skills and qualifications needed. GCAS acting on the supply-side seeks to provide high quality and relevant courses specific to the aviation industry. It has incorporated global bench marking measures to model its programs in a superior manner. As a result, GCAS has emerged as one of the top institutions providing aviation specialists to industry players in the region and internationally. However, the institute is not alone in the region. Competing players include Politri Aviation Training Centers based in Sharjah Airport, Skies Aviation based in Dubai Airport Free zone and Emirates Aviation College based in Dubai. Corporate history and background GCAS is a Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) aviation training institute established in 2009 by the Abu Dhabi Airports which is mandated to run the five major airports in Abu Dhabi. The main aim was to establish an institution that would develop the aviation industry further both regionally and internationally with a higher level of professionalism. The center is located at the Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi. Over the years, the institution has expanded its course offering and programs to over 300 courses. Other soft courses offered include language skills, leadership and development programs as well as management in the aviation. There are also other minor courses offered to specific airline industries whose curriculum is usually developed in conjunction with the employers for continuing employees. These courses are offered at various levels such as certificate and diploma. Size and other details of the company The institute is headed by a general manager with the current one being Mohammed Al Bulooki. The institution is located within 5 minutes from the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre, 15 minutes from the city and 50 minutes from Dubai. This places the facility at the heart of Dubai at the Al Bateen Executive Airport which has slots for 50 luxury jets. With the facility providing executives services to the healthy, GCAS provides training to its learners in an environment where quality is very important. The institute is loosely divided into two arms, the training arm and the administrative arm. The administrative arm is divided into training, training operations, finance and business development and marketing. The administrative arm is basically organized into departments also namely HR, ICT, finance and academic. The ICT department is linked to the Abu Dhabi Airports ICT department. The ICT department comprises of computer engineers, software engineers, network administrators, system administrators who are tasked with providing IT support services to the entire organization. Purpose and goals of the company GCAS vision is to be the World’s Leading Centre for Airport and Aviation training. To achieve this, the institute targets training both local and international students and has made the right direction by forming alliances with global heavyweights in the aviation industry. More specifically, the institute’s mission is provide a comprehensive blend of airport and aviation training using highly skilled and experienced training professionals from all over the world. It also aspires to promote an innovation culture that values continuous leaning and excellence in meeting the needs of customers, partners and stakeholders. By maintaining such quality and excellence in training, the organization seeks to the learning center of choice in the region and in the whole world for aviation relating training requirements. As an enterprise, the institute aims to creating a dynamic and sustainable business through provision of cutting edge training solutions driven by growing global demand for excellence aviation services and training requirements fueled by growth in air travel. Main projects GCAS offers unique courses relevant to the aviation industry. They include cabin crew training courses, flight operations, flight dispatcher training and piloting among other related courses. For most of these colleges, they have liaised with major industry players to serve as the base recruiting centers for new graduates and also to offer additional training for their employees. GCAS has partnered with internationally recognized training and benchmarking bodies such as IATA, UNITEAM and ACI. To cap its relevance, GCAS is the first TRAINAIR PLUS Associate Member worldwide. Organization, culture and values The organization takes pride in the Arabian culture very much. This is mainly because the Arabian culture highly upholds hospitality and friendliness in treating guests something which is very relevant in the aviation industry. This does not mean that the organization is blind to globalization. However, it means that that organization recognizes it roots and origins in the Arabian culture which gives it a basis to relate with other cultures. Furthermore, the fact that English is used as a medium of instruction means that the firm is conscious of the global environment. My internship objectives Technical aspects This internship will hopefully give me a chance to interact with the latest network security software and maintenance appliances in the market. Some of the vendors I know operate in this market include Niksun, Juniper, McAfee, Network General and others. Throughout my course, I have come to learn the various platforms that given software packages use. Generally, once an appliance was installed it is supposed to monitor networks, detect and prevent network intrusions and prevent packet storming. Proprietary information is also protected by stopping malware, virus and worm attacks. Interacting with the wide range appliances and software in the actual scenario is most interesting to me. I am ware that through technology changes, some of these products have undergone some modifications and I hope the internship at GCAS will acquaint me with the changes in the market. Another issue I would love to learn is how to address changes in buildings and infrastructure in regards to networking. While wireless connection is emerging rapidly, I would like to learn more about the networking challenging being experienced or the future of the industry. Ordinarily, buildings structural changes pose challenges to conventional network topologies such as ring, star, extended star and linear. Business As a budding expert, I have always through of establishing an IT security and consulting firm. I am looking forward to this internship to provide me with critical knowledge in IT networking and security. I will look to assess the needs of emerging organizations and specifically learning institutions and to some extent airline companies in regards to IT security and networking. I will examine how much these organizations are willing to invest to protect their propriety information and also network their systems in order to harmonize operations. With the growing trend of globalization and the trend that GCAS has taken in the recent years, there is need to connect and integrate computer systems between organizations in different countries and one learning institutions to another. Personal I want to build my confidence in interacting with fellow professionals in the field. I feel that I need to learn that I am no longer a simple student and that what I have learned in class is unique and vital in any industry or organization that employs computerized systems. I also feel that the internship will offer me a chance to interact and network with professionals in the field. This way, I will land a mentor who can offer me further direction in my career and life. The internship will also me a chance to work in a team in the real field. While I have participated in teams in my academic works before, I have never been involved in a team in the workplace environment. So I am looking forward to embracing differences and diversity in a team in an actual workplace. Questions about the company There are so many things that I would like to know about GCAS some related to my course and some out of curiosity. They include What sort of IT security threats has the organization faced in the past? - This is likely to give me an idea of what such learning institutions need in terms of IT security. How well is the IT department integrated into the culture of the organization? What the major security risks the organization faces I would like to know such an answer to address the issue of misunderstanding between ICT and the rest of the organization. Conclusion In choosing GCAS as my internship destination, I hope that I will be a better professional. I look forward to learn more about the institution and apply and examine my academic knowledge as well as testing my skills against the industry’s experienced hands. I also think that this is just a preview of my career as an IT security and networking professional. The opportunity will also me chance to learn more about my interests and potential areas of further specialization. Therefore, this is a great opportunity in my life and career that I am really looking forward to. References GCAS. 2015. Retrieved from https://www.gcas.ae/english/about-gcas/who-we-are Read More