Cathay Hosts First Aviation Exploration Day as Part of Strive and Rise Programme

Dark/Light Mode (21/12/22)  Cathay Pacific is participating in this year’s Strive and Rise Programme, an initiative organised by the Hong Kong government that pairs students with volunteer mentors who help them build up their self-confidence and guide them to develop their personal goals.

As one of the programme’s supporting organisations, Cathay has invited 1,600 participating students and mentors to experience Aviation Exploration Days with visits to its facilities and those of the wider airport community over the coming months.

The first Aviation Exploration Day took place last weekend and was among the first batch of activities to be held under the Strive and Rise Programme.

In total, several hundred activities are set to be organised by the programme’s various supporting enterprises and organisations.

Charmaine Lee, Director of Social Welfare (left) and Alex Wong, Assistant Director of Social Welfare (Youth & Corrections), participated in Aviation Exploration Day

The first Aviation Exploration Day kicked off with an opening ceremony before participants visited key facilities within the airport area, from the airline’s headquarters - Cathay City, to Cathay Pacific Catering Services’ kitchens and the Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal.

“Promoting children and youth development has long been an important part of our sustainable development goals at Cathay. Over the years, we have initiated and invested in programmes, notably the signature ‘I Can Fly’ scheme, that drive social mobility more broadly and have a meaningful impact on communities,” said Cathay's Director People, Patricia Hwang. “We are extremely proud to be participating in the Strive and Rise Programme, which reaffirms our commitment to providing members of the next generation with unique guidance, experience and an inside view into the world of aviation.”

The Strive and Rise Programme aims to support, through the tripartite collaboration between the government, business sector and community, in a targeted manner, junior secondary school students who are in need of societal support for upward social mobility, so as to build a caring and inclusive society and enhance the upward mobility of the youth.

The Cathay Volunteers Team donated their time and expertise to support the programme as tour guides, introducing the different business functions within the aviation industry and encouraging participating students to explore their interests and strengths during the visits.

Additionally, a number of Cathay employees across various departments have joined the programme as mentors to inspire the students to explore more possibilities for their personal development.

Over the coming months, they will embark on a series of activities together including training workshops, diverse group activities and mentor-mentee interactive sessions.

Aviation Exploration Day Community Flight 2023

Following a series of Aviation Exploration Day visits that will continue into March of next year, a community flight will be organised as a finale towards the end of the programme.

The community flight will provide participants with a memorable opportunity to visit the airport and enjoy interactive mentor-mentee activities at 25,000 feet.

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