Air Cabin Crew Preparation

Overview

The Heathrow Aviation Academy “Air Cabin Crew Preparation” course is designed and delivered by highly experienced cabin crew members with the aim to prepare candidates from various backgrounds to successfully undertake and succeed in the Airlines application and selection process.

The 2-days intensive course help candidates fully understand the role of cabin crew and combines theory with a range of verbal, visual, written and practical training to enhance learning experience and better prepare candidates for the airline’s assessment day.

The programme is designed to maximize learning experience amongst all learner types which also involves self-assessment, peer-assessment and tutor-assessment. It also includes activities designed to suit the needs of visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners. Furthermore, the course also includes individual, pair and group activities along with e-learning.

Course Objectives

This is made up of a number of learning outcomes, which are as follows:

• Be able to identify the roles and responsibilities of Cabin Crew

• Be able to undertake a safety demonstration

• To understand what makes good customer service and why this is important for prospective Cabin Crew

• To understand the role of selling skills required by Cabin Crew

• To examine a range of possible Cabin Crew emergency situations

• To discuss procedures for planned and unplanned emergencies

• To be familiar with the term AVMED and what this might entail for Cabin Crew

• To undertake effective passenger announcements

• To understand the Cabin Crew application process

• To assess personal skills, qualities and experience and identify areas for development

• To understand how to write an effective CV

• To understand how to complete an application form effectively

• To assess the importance of personal presentation and grooming

• To understand the importance of networking at an assessment day

• To undertake mock psychometric tests

• To undertake mock teamwork assessment

• To undertake mock roleplay assessment

• To undertake mock interview

• To recognize areas for development in terms of own test practice, teamwork skills, customer service skills and interview skills

• To know where and how to apply for Cabin Crew jobs

Course Outline

Student’s receive pre-course study materials prior to course commencement. Upon course commencement students will receive relevant materials and a range of handouts used for reading, learning, undertaking tests and assessments.

This also includes recording learning on a printed copy of the student portfolio as they progress through each module contained within the course. Within one week of completion of the course, students will also receive post-course material.

The trainers, who are also highly experienced as cabin crew, will adapt schedules to accommodate learner requirements as much as possible. If candidates appear to be struggling, trainers will aim to re-cap or cover areas again.

Course Summary

Pre-course work

Prior to course commencement, all students are provided with pre-course study materials to read through. This provides candidates with detailed background information such as requirements to become cabin crew, career prospects, chain of command etc. Students are also provided with a pre-course task which they are asked to complete and bring along with them on their first day for review.

Introduction, course overview

The instructor introduces themselves to the group, their credentials, relevant cabin crew experiences and career history. The session further introduces the students to the group, their individual background and aspirations to becoming cabin crew. The topics covered include reasons and benefits of doing the course and what the course entails and the prospects of working as cabin crew.

Roles and Responsibilities of Cabin Crew

Air Cabin crew have a wide range of responsibilities. This session focuses on a detailed understanding of the various roles and responsibilities of cabin crew to include on board and pre-flight tasks that are required to be performed by cabin crew.

The module aims to provide a clear understanding of what is expected of them by the airline. The students’ progress and understanding are examined throughout this session and recorded in the portfolio.

Safety demonstration

This section focuses on practical safety demonstration training. Students watch a safety demonstration video followed by the instructor using the safety demonstration kit to demonstrate how various safety demons are carried out.

The student then individually practices safety demos including Passenger announcements. These activities would be carried out individually or as a group where trainers would provide guidance and feedback. This activity is recorded in the student portfolio.

Customer Service

Customer service is an important aspect of cabin crew during boarding, disembarking and during meal and duty-free sales. This session talks about the significance of customer service and how to carry them out by using lots practical examples that may be tested on an assessment day. The topics discusses the need for good customer service and the skills needed for good customer service and why this is important for airlines.

Selling Skills

Selling Skills are equally important to an airline. This session focuses on why selling skills are important to most airlines and the various selling techniques the crew are trained for how such skills would be tested on an Airlines assessment day.

Students are given a sales task as part of the process and assessed on this where the trainer would provide feedback on where they could improve and what went well.

Cabin crew Emergency Situations and SEP

Cabin Crew are trained for a range of possible emergency situations which may include Fire, Smoke, Turbulence, Emergency landing, Dangerous goods, Medical emergencies etc.

This session focuses on what an SEP is and how they are trained in this area. Various slides are shown to identify some of the common emergency equipment’s and its use. Students also practice putting on life vests and inflating them to simulate an emergency situation.

Planned and Unplanned Emergencies

Emergencies may be planned and unplanned and would depend on the nature of the emergency which determine the best course of action a captain may take. Cabin Crew are trained on all types of emergencies.

This session focuses on watching a video of an emergency situation and discussing the scenario and also the instructor talking about their experiences facing an emergency and how they have handled this.

The session also focuses on the various brace positions that needs to be adopted in an emergency landing and discussing the difference between planed and unplanned emergency situations.

Cabin crew are First Aid trained and required to deal with any medical emergencies that may occur during a flight quickly and efficiently. In this session the instructor covers the different types of medical incidents that may arise and discusses some real experiences.

Using the manikin, the instructor demonstrates how to undertake CPR and students will be asked to practice delivering CPR. Student will fill relevant section in their portfolio.

Passenger Announcements

Passenger announcements are an important part of an operating flight. This module focuses on discussing and practicing the many different types of announcements that are made using the PA system.

Students gain the skills and confidence required to make effective and clear Passenger announcements by practicing various announcemst and the activity is recorded in the student portfolio.

Securing Employment as Cabin Crew

This module focuses on how to successfully secure a position as cabin crew and focuses on what the different stages of an Airlines cabin crew application involves, how the application process generally works with airlines and how to best approach this task.

The objective of this module to discuss and practice essential skills, qualities, tests and various forms of assessments that are required to succeed in the Airlines selection process. Students are also shown videos and engaged in practical and written exercises to get an insight into a typical Airlines assessment day. The topics covered are:

•  The Cabin Crew Application Process

The objective is to discuss and examine how the application process generally works. It takes into account that the application process does not finish once you are offered a position as candidates need to pass the training course and probation period.

• Skills, Qualities and Experience

This module looks at the range of skills and qualities that the Airlines are looking for and how these will be assessed during all 4 stages of the recruitment process. Students will receive handout to read and understand this topic so that students can reflect on these
by completing the skills, qualities and experience audit in their workbook. Students are encouraged to write detailed answers, evidencing either how they have the skill, quality or experience or how they will work to achieve this. These answers can then be later used in an interview context.

• CV Writing

This module explains what a CV is and when it is used. It talks about the elements that are commonly included in a CV and the importance of formatting and tailoring your CV to the specific job that you are applying for.

Students receive handout entitled ‘How to write the perfect Cabin Crew CV’ and are asked to make notes if required. Students will be required to reflect on their own CV, making notes on things that they can do to improve it. This will be registered in the student portfolio.

• Application Form

Airlines have set high standards when it comes to filtering through applications they receive. This module talks through why airlines use application forms, the types of applications airlines uses and its purpose. The module discusses through the top tips for writing a great application form, giving personal examples. Students will be required to complete their learning in the portfolio.

• Personal Presentation and Grooming

Personal presentation and grooming are also an important element when it comes to an airline’s recruitment criteria. This module discuss what applicants should wear to an assessment day, elaborating on various points such as hair, make up, nails, shoes, clothes, perfume, piercings, jewelry, tattoos etc. Students will be asked to design their own assessment day outfit, using the image outlines in their portfolio provided. The instructor would provide feedback

• Networking

This topic discusses the importance of networking during and after an assessment day. This examines why this is important for an airline and talks about the benefits of being an effective communicator and being engaging with other candidates during the process.

• Tests

This module talks about how airlines use tests and the different types of tests that are used. The tests that airlines use can vary and can involve psychometric testing, generic tests, good practice, verbal application, numerical reasoning, verbal and numerical analysis, math’s and English tests etc.

Students will be required to practice the various tests as stated above using handouts given and will be evaluated on their score. It emphasizes the importance of answering all questions and any other good practice that was not identified during the practice tests. Students are encouraged to take notes in their portfolio.

• Teamwork

This module reinforces the importance of teamwork when working as Cabin Crew, re-capping what has previously been covered on this topic. It explains that many airlines will do group tasks at an assessment day to assess the applicant’s teamwork skills and discuss good practice.

Students will be grouped and handed out various tasks to complete and further given feedback on how they performed. Students will be asked to reflect on their teamworking skills in their portfolio.

•  Roleplay

Airlines use roleplays to assess customer service skills. They are used to assess aspects such as initiative and problem-solving skills. This topic discusses good practice and the students will have to undertake mock roleplay assessment using the task provided. Feedback will be provided by the tutor and the student will be asked to reflect on their performance and complete the relevant section of their portfolio.

• Interview

The final part of an airlines’ assessment process will be an interview which can be a panel interview or one to one interview. This module focuses on interview preparation and succeeding in an interview. This includes looking at interview techniques, elaborating on various points, discussing sample interview questions and handouts to read through.

Students will take part in various mock interview sessions with the instructor and feedback will be given to each student based on the answers given and their overall performance. Once the various mock up interview sessions are completed, students will reflect on the activity by completing the relevant page in their portfolio.

• Applying for Jobs

This module focuses on how to apply for Cabin crew jobs and where these jobs will be advertised by airlines. Airlines adopt different models and platforms to recruit cabin crew which will be discussed in detail enabling students to explore all possible options when it comes to applying for cabin crew positions with airlines.

• Support Materials

Students will receive post course study materials from Heathrow Aviation Academy which will provide candidates with further information and where a student may require additional training or support, we will recommend further options as required.