Malaysia Airlines has this week shared that it is offering its staff members the opportunity to reskill following the impact of the global health crisis. The flag carrier of Malaysia has introduced MH EDGIL, a program to help employees gain a competitive edge and be agile in the current conditions.
Opening up opportunities
According to a press release seen by Simple Flying, the initiative has been opened to over 2,000 employees. Most of the staff members are pilots, flight attendants, and other front line workers. The downturn in passenger activity is significantly impacting these groups.
Altogether, MH EDGILE provides opportunities for the staff members to train for other job competencies. Specialized departments such as facilities management and audit are taken into account with this program. Additionally, the system can help cover positions in general areas such as sales and IT support.
Notably, the company highlights that the initiative enables workers to lend their expertise and services. These moves will assist with the firm’s long-term business sustainability. Moreover, the employees have the chance to develop across the group. The applicable workers will undergo temporary reassignment to help other departments that require support.
The program is offered voluntarily. It is also subject to job pre-requisites and selection criteria of the receiving department. The assignments will be on a full-time basis, but workers can still maintain their job license validity. The duration of the interim position will be dependent on Malaysia Airlines Group’s business and operational requirements.
Preparing for the future
Group chief executive officer of Malaysia Aviation Group, Captain Izham Ismail, said the following about the process, as per the press release:
“With the pandemic still showing little sign of improvement, forcing some airlines to halt operations and ground almost fleet, it is important for us to prepare our workforce with new skill sets to become more efficient in their current roles or shift into emerging positions as well as to support the business goals. This is the perfect time for the staff to reinvent themselves.”
Meanwhile, group chief human capital officer of Malaysia Airlines Berhad, Dato’ Mohd Khalis Abdul Rahim, added the following in the release:
“We are on our journey to transform MAG employees into future workforce adaptable to new challenges and ready for what lies ahead of us in the post-COVID-19 world. At MAG, we strongly believe in developing talents and creating a culture of continuous improvement to drive the long-term business sustainability of the Group.”
Adapting with the times
The officer also said that his team is embracing the lean and agile work culture simultaneously with digitalization. This process enables the company to take full advantage of the opportunities the current situation has brought on. So, improving the quality of work and scaling up training is central to success in the new norm.
This program is part of the goal of Malaysia Airlines to strengthen its workforce to get ready for the post-pandemic realm. For instance, technology is evolving rapidly amid the crisis, and the company recognizes the need for a robust agile and digital workforce. With there still being considerable uncertainties across the industry, measure such as these could go a long way.
What are your thoughts about Malaysia Airlines offering its employees the opportunity to retrain amid the pandemic? Do you think that this is a good move for the carrier? Let us know what you think of the initiative in the comment section.
