Hugh Baird College students studying Cabin Crew qualifications have taken part in Life Raft Simulation Training as an extension of their course studies.
Bootle Leisure Centre played host to the sessions which were delivered by specialist aviation training company Skypeople.
Forty students took to the swimming pool to learn about emergency procedures and survival techniques which should be used in the event of an emergency in water.
Working in the water fully clothed and with life jackets and a fully sized inflatable emergency raft, the Hugh Baird College students were taught the team work and communication skills necessary for managing a sea-borne emergency and helping passengers to stay afloat, board life rafts and survive at sea whilst awaiting rescue.
Students were instructed on floatation techniques and how to aid those in difficultly in the water as well as how to operate and board life rafts common in commercial aviation. They were guided through survival techniques and shown the rations on board such rafts and how they should be properly used.
Hugh Baird College Cabin Crew student Paige Melia, who hopes to gain employment as an air hostess when she finishes her studies, said:
“Today has been really fun but there has been a serious point to it. We are now all more aware of how to react in an emergency situation and how to work together to help people around us. This extra raining will look great on our CVs.”
Andrea Currie, Curriculum Co-ordinator for Travel and Tourism at Hugh Baird College and herself an ex member of cabin crew said:
“This kind of training is an invaluable asset, both to our students’ development and to their career opportunities. This training is given to professionals in the industry and for our students to have the chance to learn these skills so early on is fantastic. We work hard to identify and organise special sessions like this to make sure our students gain a full range of skills and experience to use in their chosen careers. Many thanks to Skypeople for delivering such an interesting and useful piece of professional development to our learners.”