A young lady's dream turns into a reality - for others

MANILA, Philippines - Beneath the wings of International Cabin Attendant Training School (ICATS) — the newest flight attendant school in Manila – is the inspiring story of 25-year-old Princess Joy Garcia.

“I really wanted to become a flight attendant – to see the world, to meet new faces, to learn different cultures — that’s why I seriously trained to become one. However, personal circumstances prevented me from becoming a flight attendant even though I already finished training,” says Princess.  

With her grace, innate charm and easy smile, it is ironic — or surprising — that she was just on the verge of becoming a flight attendant. To some, this ordeal will devastate them. But Princess turned a failure into an opportunity. And now, she opened a school to give others the chance to become a flight attendant.

“When I was young, I wanted to see the world like anyone else. Everyone was telling me that I would a successful flight attendant, so I enrolled in a school and I knew I found my calling,” says Princess.

Armie Guiao, ICATS directress, and Princess’ former instructor, said she saw the perseverance of Princess as a student. “She was very diligent in school. I saw how much she wanted to excel and really pushed herself to improve. There were times when personal problems seemed to get in the way of her schooling, but she didn’t let that bring her down. I knew then that her heart was truly in this profession.”

Princess is aware of the benefits of being in that profession. With the opening of ICATS, she plans to help students who are diligent and who want to help their families and improve their lives. Her vision was turned into reality as soon as Armie got on board.

“I want the school to bring not only the technical knowledge but I also want to bring hope to students who want a better life for their families. This school will help them until they land a job interview with a prestigious airline,” stress Princess.

The ICATS curriculum is based on standards set by international flight attendant schools. Included in the five-module training are subjects on image enhancement, aircraft familiarization, emergency situation and procedures, customer relationship, and in-flight service.

“The subjects are not just about the basics of being a flight attendant. We want to teach them how they can apply the theories properly, so when they are in the actual airline setting, they will already have an advantage over the others,” says Princess.

An important portion of their curriculum is teaching emergency procedures in airline setting. For the ICATS team, knowing the basic survival skills can go a long way in saving lives.

“Princess has undergone a rigorous Red Cross training. She can use what she learned for the benefit of our students,” says Armie. “Another advantage of enrolling in ICATS is the hands-on training to be conducted in a partner aviation school. We plan to bring our students to the actual airfield in Clark or Subic to better equip them with aircraft know-how.”

Upon finishing a course, ICATS will also offer a job assistance program. For the team, aiding students to land a job will go beyond the usual recommendation letter. “We’re really planning to go the extra-mile and train them for interviews. We will help them get an upper hand on what’s to come during interviews” adds Princess.

Classes will be held at regular intervals with students numbering to 15 to 25. “We wish to be able to provide personal attention to all our students. Keeping the class small will benefit everyone. They will learn faster, be more efficient, immediately land a job, and be able to finally live their dream,” adds Princess.

For information, call 470-7523, 0939-594333; sms 0915-3713333, 0932-3706333, ICATS is located at 1602A East Tower, Philippines Stock Exchange Center, Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.