The first class of the Aircraft Maintenance Mechanic (MMA) course, funded by the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor), began this Monday (9th) at Sest/Senat in Samambaia (DF). The initiative was launched to expand the training of specialized professionals in the aviation sector. In total, 74 scholarship students participated in the inaugural class, which was attended by representatives from MPor and the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac), a partner institution in the training and development project.
During the opening ceremony, the projects manager of the Civil Aviation Secretariat's Development and Training department, Antônio Ferreira, encouraged the new students to persevere in their careers. "Aviation is made by people. You are aviation. You are needed in the sector. Be resilient; difficulties will come, but you are essential for the future," he said.
Ana Benevides, technical manager and coordinator of Anac's Wings for All program, also emphasized the responsibility of future professionals for the safety of air transport. "Today, you enter aviation and become part of a sector where operational safety is a paramount value. The aircraft maintenance mechanic is one of those responsible for ensuring this factor. It is you who guarantee the safety in the transport of people we love," she stressed.
Among the students in the first class is Yasmin Selieli, enrolled in the powerplant group course. A nursing graduate, she decided to change fields after seeing in the course an opportunity to enter aviation. "I always liked aviation, but I never had many opportunities. When I saw the chance to take the course with a scholarship, I became interested in the mechanics field. Today, I left the lecture very motivated and hopeful that everything will work out," she said.
Yasmin also highlighted the importance of women's presence in a sector historically dominated by men. "In Brazil, only about 3% of women are in this field. We are the majority of the population, so we need to occupy these spaces," she said.
Another student in the class is Gabriel Vira Pontes, who chose to specialize in avionics. With a background in English and a technical course in information technology, he believes the new qualification complements his professional trajectory. "The avionics field has a direct connection with the cockpit and the aircraft's electrical systems, which matches the courses I already have. My expectation is that the training will be comprehensive and prepare me well for the market," he said.
Gabriel also shared that he learned about the scholarship program through MPor's social media. "I was researching opportunities on the internet when I saw a post from the Ministry about the partnership with Sest/Senat and Anac. I decided to apply and was selected," he reported.
Scholarship Program
The first maintenance professional promotion program offered by MPor received almost 2,000 applications, with 21.9% of applications from women, an indicator that demonstrates women's interest in aviation sector careers. The course lasts approximately 18 months with a total workload of 1,440 hours, comprising 1,200 hours of theoretical classes and 240 hours of mandatory internship.
The initiative is the result of Anac's Wings for All program, in cooperation with MPor, the Ministry of Tourism (MTur), the Ministry of Education (MEC), the Ministry of Women (MMulheres), the Ministry of Racial Equality (MIR), and the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship (MDHC).
Source: https://www.gov.br/portos-e-aeroportos/pt-br/assuntos/noticias/2026/03/1a-turma-de-bolsistas-do-curso-de-mecanicos-de-manutencao-aeronautica-tem-aula-inaugural-em-brasilia
