Flight attendant Janka Krsteva, 32, discusses studying a degree in IT via online learning with Arden while working for one of the world’s largest airlines.
Originally from Radovish, north Macedonia, Janka was studying for a degree in her home country when, for financial reasons, she had to pause her studies to take a full-time flight attendant job. Janka joined Emirates and focused on saving money for her and her family but the dream of continuing her studies persisted.
Today, Janka is living and working in Dubai where, taking into consideration Arden’s flexible approach to learning, she decided to embark on an online learning course. By doing this, she is able to fit studying around her busy lifestyle but also earn money at the same time.
Janka said: “Due to the nature of my job and travelling worldwide, the online learning program was the greatest choice I have made. It gives me the flexibility of organising and managing my time according to my monthly work schedules.
“It has given me the control to balance my study, work life and my hobbies. This personal experience inspires me to say that online learning programs do create opportunities for everyone around the world who wishes to bring their personal value to another level, and they can achieve it as long they have the motivation to do it.”
The pandemic lockdown saw flights drop by 90% during the peak months where consumers were told to stay home, rather than catch flights. The industry has also struggled to pick back up, with many countries changing rules daily. This has led to mass redundancies and job losses throughout the industry and Janka is currently on unpaid leave whilst the industry attempts to recover from the effects of the pandemic.
Janka said: “Before COVID-19, we had a busy month of flying hours however, as the destinations got closed, the flights are now hugely reduced.”
For now, Janka’s job is secure, however she is able to use her spare time at home to focus solely on her studies, as well as some self-taught learning in the field of software engineering. Previously, she had to delay her studies because of the work-related rest and time constraints but now, she is pressing on with her studies so she can be ready to change industries when the time comes.
