28 Ethiopian Students Graduate from Ethiopian Airlines-Boeing STEM Programme

August 27, 2026 in Companies, Foreign News, Science and Technology by Editor

STEM School students visit Ethiopian Airlines’ maintenance, repair and overhaul facility, August 1, 2026.

Ethiopian Airlines and Boeing have graduated 28 Grade 11 students from their fourth annual STEM programme, giving Ethiopian youth hands-on exposure to aviation, engineering, coding, AI, robotics and other industry skills.

 

Addis Ababa — Ethiopian Airlines and Boeing are strengthening the pipeline of aviation and engineering talent through a STEM programme that is giving Ethiopian secondary school students early exposure to careers in one of Africa’s fastest-growing industries.

The fourth edition of the annual Ethiopian Airlines-Boeing STEM School concluded last week after six weeks of training at the Ethiopian Aviation University, bringing together Grade 11 students from across Ethiopia.

Held from July 13 to August 21, the programme delivered more than 300 hours of immersive learning, with young women accounting for half of the participants.

The programme combines classroom instruction with internships, job shadowing, mentorship and field visits to aviation facilities, giving students practical exposure to the technologies and operations underpinning the aviation industry.

Students received training in coding, robotics, artificial intelligence and virtual reality, alongside soft skills including teamwork, communication and problem-solving.

The programme also drew on Ethiopian Airlines’ operational facilities, with participants visiting the carrier’s cargo and maintenance, repair and overhaul operations as well as the Ethiopian Aviation University.

For the students, the exposure provides an opportunity to understand aviation careers beyond the cockpit.

One participant, 18-year-old Yoftahe Belete, said the programme enabled students to observe how aircraft are maintained and subjected to multiple inspections before returning to service.

Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer Mesfin Tasew said investment in youth education was an investment in Ethiopia’s future, particularly as industries become increasingly dependent on technology and specialised skills.

The partnership with Boeing, he said, was helping equip young people with skills that could prepare them to become future leaders and innovators.

Boeing Managing Director for Africa Henok Teferra Shawl said Africa would require an estimated 75,000 new aviation professionals over the next 20 years, underscoring the importance of building the continent’s talent base alongside the expansion of airlines, fleets and aviation infrastructure.

Ethiopia is positioning itself as a major aviation hub, led by the rapid expansion of Ethiopian Airlines’ fleet and international network.

The STEM programme is therefore designed not only to introduce students to aviation careers but also to create a pool of young people with exposure to the digital and engineering skills increasingly required across the sector.

Beyond technical training, participants visited the National Palace Museum, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University and the Ethiopia Science Museum.

At the Science Museum, they interacted with an aerospace exhibition featuring a Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight simulator, a replica of the Starliner spacecraft and models of the Space Launch System rocket and the International Space Station’s Cupola module.

The programme also incorporates alumni engagement, with students from previous cohorts returning to share experiences and mentor newer participants.

Since its launch in 2023, the Ethiopian Airlines-Boeing STEM School has reached more than 100 Ethiopian students, including 28 in this year’s cohort.

The programme is implemented in coordination with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education, with student selection aligned with national priorities in science and technology education.

For Ethiopia and the wider African aviation industry, the initiative highlights a growing recognition that fleet expansion and infrastructure investment will need to be matched by sustained investment in the engineers, technicians, digital specialists and other professionals required to operate and maintain the sector.