Before joining ENAC

Could you briefly introduce your background before you joined the advanced master in airport management (what was your education background, where did you work and what position did you occupy at the time)?

I went to the American School of Tegucigalpa, a fully bilingual (English/Spanish) institution and then I got a degree in Business Administration in UNITEC, both in Honduras, my home country. I always knew I wanted to do more but right after my bachelor's degree I was not sure what exactly, so I did a year abroad in Blois, France with the ICYE Organization. I got to travel and learn more about myself and what I wanted next. While in France I researched Airport Management and found out about the ENAC and its English masters and more specifically its Airport Management program. I decided to go back home and acquire professional experience so that it would enrich even further my masters experience. Right before going to the ENAC, I worked at British American Tobacco as a Finance Analyst, but the job consisted mostly in managing all administrative and logistics manners of the different sites in the central southern region of Honduras. This job helped me grow and learn and made me eager to pursue my career in the airport industry.

What motivated you to choose this program back then and how did it align with your professional ambitions at that time?

I was always passionate about airports, and it seemed to be my "dream job" whenever I thought about my future and when I researched the Mastère specialisé Airport Management it just clicked. I had a background in management, and I thought it made sense to pursue my passion with this master's degree. The Airport Management overview program seemed very complete, and I knew it could give me all the insight and tools necessary to succeed in my dream to pursue a career in the airport industry, specifically.  The professional experience that I had also made my ENAC experience even richer because I could compare to real life situations, I believe this is an added benefit of doing a master's program after working for a couple of years.

During the program and its benefits afterwards

What key technical and transversal skills did you acquire through the program?

During the airport management program at ENAC, I acquired several essential technical and soft skills. Technically, I developed in-depth knowledge of airport operations management, airport security among other subjects. I enhanced my project management, leadership, and teamwork abilities thanks to all the projects that we do throughout the program. I developed a better understanding of the regulatory and environmental challenges in the airport sector, enabling me to contribute to more sustainable practices that comply with current standards.

Do you think this degree gave you a competitive advantage and served as a career booster ?  If yes, please explain how.

Yes, it totally did for me personally, it gives you an undeniable competitive advantage! I really wanted to work in Groupe ADP and I knew it would help me when I would eventually apply. The ENACs reputation is very respected within France and the aviation community worldwide. I feel very proud to have this program in my CV and for the doors it has opened as well as the people I met through it.

Your analysis some years after

In one sentence, how would you summarise the added value of this program?

The guest lecturers were, for me, very inspiring because we got to talk and exchange with people within the industry and that currently occupy very interesting and important roles. Their experience and feedback meant we got to learn from real-life situations, and we got to see how they dealt with them.

Would you recommend this program and why?

Yes, I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is passionate about airports. It gives you a well-rounded experience and also to be among people and guest lecturers that share your passion, this for me is priceless! I truly believe that every module and how the whole program is structured is meant to help you succeed in your future career aspirations. I truly appreciated that we got to visit different airports around France (Toulouse, Marseille, Perpignan, CDG and Orly) and got to have access to all areas and ask in-depth questions. Sometimes we were accompanied by ENAC alumni themselves making it even more special because they themselves were eager to share and answer our questions.

What message would you send to future aviation professionals considering to join this program?

This program is rich and essential in giving you all the necessary skills and information to succeed in your career. It pairs you with a diverse group of people from all over the world and you get to be in an environment that is passionate about the aviation industry. The access to visits and guest lecturers this program provides, in my opinion, is unmatched. Anybody looking to start or further a career in the airport industry can only be incredibly benefited in the long run and you also get to meet people that can become your lifetime friends.