I Am Ebony Hoppen

As Senior Specialist for Learning and Development for APAC, Ebony is responsible for fostering the global employee engagement strategy through the continued professional development of our leaders and employees across the APAC Region. She derives a great sense of satisfaction from developing relationships with internal stakeholders and collaborating to help bridge any gaps by supporting individuals.

Ebony, please introduce yourself and your role at Jet Aviation.

I am the Senior Specialist for Learning & Development for the APAC region and the former HR Manager for QLD.  I have been working for Jet Aviation based out the Cairns MRO Facility since late 2021.

Can you briefly describe your job?

Where to start….my role looks after a wide range of learning and development requirements for the APAC region, including, coordination, design and delivery of both regional and global material. These include areas like employee engagement, performance & personal development, leadership training and DE&I activities.

What key projects are you are currently working on?

I really enjoy the challenge of managing very different situations every day, because this gives me the opportunity to constantly learn and improve. No day is ever the same and I enjoy this perfect mixture of working outside on the ramp as well as inside an office. In my role, my every day goal is to be as caring, focused, and professional as possible.

What are the main challenges you face in your role?

I am working on a number of different strategic projects at the moment across a range of different areas which all involve the creation, coordination and the delivery of these workshops throughout 2023 in the APAC region including leadership/ management essentials.

I am also partnering with Global HRIS team in relation to the continuous improvement of the PPD process within the SuccessFactors system and I am a member of the Global On-boarding project team and the APAC DE&I committee.

We have been told you have been a significant driver in these projects. Can you explain to the rest of our global team how your role is impacting this/these project/s?

One of my main focus areas is to develop content in house that respects the differences between the different lines of business and the three regions at Jet Aviation but to also help champion and create a globalized approach to our learning and development strategy.

What is it like to work in your team?

Although we may not all be in the same time zone or location and have a diverse range of experience / different professional backgrounds, I really enjoy working with this talented group of women in the L&D COE. I enjoy the fact we are able to have built a strong relationship despite the difference, we are professionally challenging each other, and I think it is genuinely exciting we all share the same vision for what we see for the future.  I am also lucky as I also still get to work really closely with the APAC HR team.

What do you really like about working in your role?

I have worked in a range of other industries Legal Services, Community services and Sugar Milling/ agriculture but I am really enjoying the diversity of the aviation industry.  It has always been a professional goal to work for a global company that afforded me a wide range of opportunities, including the opportunity to travel, I have been extremely fortunate to find that at Jet Aviation. 

I get to interact with a diverse range of people from all three regions on a daily basis, as well as partner different business units from HR and now L&D perspective across the APAC region as well as on a global level. It is also great that I get to utilize both of my university degree’s in both the HR and L&D context (Fun fact – I am actually also a qualified social worker).

What is a typical day like for you?

Since starting at Jet, I am confident to say that I have not had the same day twice… a typical day generally consists of a very early morning start, liaising with different stakeholders, different project meetings, planning, development and delivery of L&D workshop content.

What are the main challenges you face in your role?

I think the three biggest challenges for me have been

—Time zones…need I say more?

—Personally, it has been challenging to step out of a pure HR generalist role into a specialist L&D role

—As the L&D COE essentially still in its “start up stage”, building a connection with my team members, establishing the team’s portfolio and my role has been exciting but also challenging.

What are some things you enjoy doing outside of work and Why?

I LOVE to travel, to see and experience this unique world we live in.  I like to think of myself as an extraverted introvert, I enjoy getting out and about, going on adventures, spending time with friends and family, but at the same time, I am also content staying in for a movie night or with a book.