Alumni Up-date: Kent Thai

As a former Class Representative of Airport Operations Class 22, I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for teaching me as well as my classmates during the Airport Operations program.

It has been a few months since I graduated from Airport Operations Class 22 and I would like to share a little story of my career in the aviation industry. 

For me, the Airport Operations Diploma program was an intense 16-month program with lots of happy and stressful moments, which usually pushed me to give up my plans with my friends. In order to keep up and not falling behind others in my class, effective time management is always the key. 

The biggest accomplishment in my life as an Airport Operations student was that I became a recipient of both YVR Student Achievement Award and North West Chapter American Association of Airport Executives Scholarship in 2017. 

Before graduating, the Flight Attendant Manager of Pacific Coastal Airlines, who was my practicum host, gave me a call, and I was lucky enough to receive a job offer to work in  the airline's Cabin Safety department. 

During the first few months at my new job, the Pacific Coastal Chief Flight Attendant, told me that collaboration and kaizen (continuous improvement) are extremely important at work. At the moment I recognized those terms that I learned about during the Airport Operations program, I realized that I have not only gained knowledge about aviation through this program, but also learned how to perform and apply my knowledge at my workplace. 

After three months of working as a Document Production Assistant, I have been promoted to be the Training and Document Control Coordinator for Pacific Coastal Airlines. The critical role of this position is to maintain all company manuals in the activities such as adding new revisions, issuing transmittals and maintaining up-to-date LEPs for all manuals. And now, my career journey in the aviation industry has officially begun.

Finally, I am very grateful for what my instructors, family, friends and classmates have done to support me throughout 16 months at BCIT Aerospace Campus. 

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to share my aviation story. I have also attached a photo of me taken at the campus' hangar during my graduation ceremony in February 2018.

Kind regards, 

Kent Thai