< Previousthere. ASECNA was providing training to airport, weather, fire and control tower personnel. The existing aviation professionals had been trained through scholarships from the government or Air Afrique (that had gone bankrupt). I was in my first year of university, studying mathematics, physics and computer science when the flame rekindled. It was 2004/2005 when the Chadian government planned to establish a national carrier. Because the fall of Air Afrique had left the country with very few personnel and many close to retirement, they decided to grant scholarships to students who they would train as licensed pilot and aircraft maintenance engineers at Ethiopian Airlines Aviation Academy (EAA). EAA, which is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was known to be one of the best aviation international standards training centers in the sub-Saharan region. I successfully passed the selection process and was chosen to go to Ethiopia to pursue my dreams to become a licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME). Where I come from, it is very common to travel abroad to continue studies after high school. My own parents and most of my friends’ parents had all gone away. But in their days scholarships abounded. Not only have they become scarce, but the number of applicants drastically increased. The only option most people have today is to be self-sponsored. This is particularly difficult when the training or studies you wish to pursue are not available in your country. Aviation training centers are rare in Africa, so without scholarships, training is out of reach for most of us. I was so grateful to have been given this opportunity and I hope I will be able to pay it back by contributing to the development of aviation in Africa. When we arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, we spoke exclusively in French or our respective native languages, so we had to take a four-month English course before beginning the training. Though we had taken English classes in high school, we were never very serious about it. I learned the new language quickly. I had a bit of an advantage because my dad was a computer geek, so we had video games in English on the computer and I watched movies with English subtitles. Video games and movies aren’t brainless activities if the time allocated to them is well balanced - and on that my dad was very strict. Another advantage, perhaps even the biggest one, is that I am easy going. If you want to learn a language you have to immerse yourself, as my father would say: “don’t stand on the shore waiting for the sea to come teach you how to swim”. Learning English is unavoidable in aviation today. It is the common means of communication for everyone in the industry, whether they are personnel from manufacturers, airports, airlines or regulatory bodies. It is easier to adapt to that reality when your basic training is executed in English, as was my case, but one can always adapt, and speaking more than one language is an asset. Through my training at EAA, I was on par with professionals from around the world. But I would like to be honest about something very personal. I don’t think I would have done well at university, not because I wasn’t smart enough, but because it did not suit my personality. I learn better in a consistent and stable environment. The difference in the French education system is that you are either in a university or a school. In a university you might only have five hours of classes a day. In an engineering school you are more than likely to have eight hours of class a day for five days a week. Aircraft maintenance training at EAA follows the school model and though I was very comfortable in that environment, some of my classmates who had had three or four years of university were struggling. The three years I spent in Addis Ababa was rich in other experiences. I was able to learn about new cultures and I developed friendships with people with so many nationalities. There are many things aviation does well, but one of the best aspects is how it brings people from all horizons together. I graduated in May 2008 after 4,248 hours of ICAO Type II training, with a license in Airframe & Powerplant (B1) and an avionic license (B2) on a Boeing 737-200. Following that I went to Chad, where my entrance was quite harsh in the professional world. The national carrier had collapsed before our graduation, so we were left on our own. I ended up getting a job at the handling agency of N’djamena Hassan Djamous International Airport. I was a marshaller there, since the technical department only had a maintenance agreement with Air France and no other airlines coming to N’djamena. Only our manager, who was formerly Air Afrique personnel, and the only AME in the department with the ratings and EASA part 66 B1 License, was allowed to perform maintenance and release Air France aircraft. It was that manager who advised me to resign and find a job with an airline. He also encouraged me to do my best to get an EASA part 66 B1 and/or B2 license, Lere Wapi T. Diamoneka 28www.ICAO.int HIGHER EDUCATION TRAININGsince holding those licenses would be an asset to a carrier. He was not wrong. I resigned after three months and went looking for a job in Brazzaville, Congo, where I had first seen an airplane. It did not go well, I didn’t have a job for nearly six months. No one wanted to hire an AME fresh out of school, with no relevant rating. This happens in Africa in general, and in Central Africa in particular, where AMEs and pilots are generally trained by airlines, so their recruitment is guaranteed. But the day came when I was recruited by the maintenance manager of Societé Nouvelle Air Congo (SN Air Congo). He was a very experienced AME who represented the interests of the South African partner of SN Air Congo. When I started working for SN Air Congo in early 2009, the Airline was, if I was to be very honest, just one level above a “bush airline”. We were operating in precarious conditions. Operations were rendered possible because of the BAE 146, with its high wings that kept the engine high above the ground, clear from foreign object damage on the ground, and it was able to land on short runways. SN Air Congo owned two or three turboprop aircrafts (MA 60) that we could never fly more than two of at a time. The South African partner brought three Avro RJ BAe 146 and there was a CEO of Finance and a maintenance manager supervising its aircraft. I was assigned on the BAe 146 fleet and obtained the rating on that aircraft, earning the Congolese license equivalent to my Ethiopian licenses. We were only three AMEs so we had a lot to do. Within a short period of time I had worked on all aircraft systems and was quite comfortable. We had crews from South Africa, Europe and America, many of whom I am still in touch with. Things were going well, but what I didn’t know was that under the surface, disagreements were growing among the partners. In March-April of 2010 the partnership ended. Those of us who worked on the BAe 146 didn’t have jobs and were not welcome. Around the same time, an airline named Asky Airlines (Asky for African Sky), which was based in Togo, began operating. Their motivation was to become a Panafrican Airline that would allow African States to become shareholders, and by doing so they would fill the gap left by Air Afrique. Ethiopian Airlines was a strategic partner and the main shareholder. Asky Airlines was using two Boeing 737 NG and one Bombardier Q400 at the time. It was in late 2009 or early 2010, before Asky had taken its first flight, when I sent my CV, training documents and motivation letter to apply for a job. In September 2010 they contacted me and I left SN Air Congo and joined Asky Airlines. Asky Airlines offered me the experience of working in an environment where abiding the rules and meeting international standards wasn’t just mandatory, it was the only path to success and durability. Today I am still working for Asky Airlines, where I have welcomed these positive changes: ♦ Asky is a non-government owned airline with the longest longevity in the sub region. It operates six B737 NG and two Bombardier Q400, and it is now IOSA certified. ♦ I am now rated on B737 NG and I am senior maintenance staff, and a flight engineer. Being part of the IOSA team within the company, I am on track to become an IOSA Internal Auditor. I never forgot my Chad Handling supervisor’s advice. Though a scholarship was not an option, through my personal effort and investment I obtained my EASA part 66 B1 license in 2015. LERE WAPI T. DIAMONEKA Senior Maintenance Staff and Flight Engineer, Asky Airlines I believe what has taken me so far is consistency, discipline and love for what I am doing. Without it I would have chosen another path and I wouldn’t have achieved this much. Today I have a broad knowledge of both aircraft as machines and how airlines operate. Through Asky Airlines I have witnessed that the airline industry is not only a tool for developing a sub-region, but it is a job provider that crosses borders to unite people for the same goal. And yet, I know airlines are fragile. My experiences and everything I went through to follow my passion has led me to consider whether I should join a regulatory body. I believe my experience and will to bring greater good can help to develop the African skies to ensure passengers board safely maintained aircraft, and airlines won’t cease operations every few years, causing tragedy in personal and family lives. There is a need for encouraging and assisting governments to develop sufficient and affordable programmes so that kids will discover all that this industry has to offer. No one is more dedicated and reliable than those who love what they are doing. In aviation, whatever the area one choses, he or she has to know training will never end, because technology and regulations will continue to evolve. Aviation personnel must be open to change and must always seek improvement and safety, not just for themselves, but for all those who need and use aviation. My journey to aviation might have ended when I joined Ethiopian Aviation Academy, but my journey through aviation is far from over. 29 ICAO TRAINING REPORT | NO. 2 | 2018 HIGHER EDUCATION TRAININGGLOBAL AVIATION TRAINING *As of 11 November 2015 CORPORATE PARTNERS (5) Airports Council International (ACI) Concordia University - John Molson School of Business Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards Training Division AFS-500 Nanyang Technological University University of Waterloo NORTH AMERICA CENTRAL AMERICA THE CARIBBEAN (13) BARBADOS The Barbados Civil Aviation Training Centre CANADA The ASI Institute, A Division of Aviation Strategies International CUBA Centro de Adiestramiento de la Aviación (CAA) DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Academia Superior de Ciencias Aeronáuticas (ASCA) EL SALVADOR Instituto Centroamericano de Capacitación Aeronáutica (ICCAE) de COCESNA JAMAICA Civil Aviation Authority Training Institute (CAATI) MEXICO Centro Internacional de Instrucción de Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares. Ingeniero Roberto Kobeh González NETHERLANDS ANTILLES Dutch Caribbean Air Navigation Service Provider TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority Civil Aviation Training Centre UNITED STATES Advanced ATC, Inc. Delex Systems, Inc. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Academy The Washington Consulting Group (WCG), Inc. The Technical Training Group SOUTH AMERICA (12) ARGENTINA Centro de Instrucción, Perfeccionamiento y Experimentación (CIPE) BOLIVIA Instituto Nacional de Aviación Civil (INAC) BRAZIL Centro de Treinamento da Agencia Nacional de Aviaçáo Civil (ANAC) CHILE Escuela Técnica Aeronáutica COLOMBIA Centro de Estudios de Ciencias Aeronáuticas - CEA Corporación Educativa Indoamericana (CEI) ECUADOR Escuela Técnica de Aviación Civil (ETAC) PARAGUAY Instituto Nacional de Aeronáutica Civil (INAC) PERU Centro de Instrucción de Aviación Civil (CIAC) de CORPAC SURINAME Polytechnic College Suriname URUGUAY Instituto de Adiestramiento Aeronáutico - DINACIA VENEZUELA Instituto Universitario de Aeronáutica Civil (IUAC) EUROPE (17) BELGIUM Wallonie Aerotraining Network (WAN) FRANCE CAMAS International 215 TRAINAIR PLUS ™ THE COOPERATIVE GLOBAL TRAINING NETWORK Share and benefit from Standardized Training Packages and industry best practices with ICAO’s expanding global base of aviation training centres. Corporate PartnersRegional Training Centres of Excellence 42 Full Members 38 Associate MembersNew Status 106 MEMBERS OF THE TRAINAIR PLUS ™ PROGRAMME ICAO’s Cooperative Network of Training Centres As of 14 November 2018.Centre Français de Formation des Pompiers d’Aéroport (C2FPA) Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile (ENAC) GERMANY Star Wings Aviation Training Centre GmbH ITALY ENAV Academy IDS Ingegneria Dei Sistemi S.p.A. KAZAKHSTAN Professional Training Center RSE “Kazaeronavigatsia” LUXEMBOURG EUROCONTROL Institute of Air Navigation Services NETHERLANDS Joint Aviation Authorities Training Organisation (JAA TO) RUSSIAN FEDERATION Institute of Air Navigation (IAN) Domodedovo Training LLC SPAIN Servicios y Estudios para la Navegación Aérea y la Seguridad Aeronáutica (SENASA) SWEDEN Entry Point North AB Nordic ATS Academy TURKEY Turkish Aviation Academy UNITED KINGDOM International Fire Training Centre (IFTC) Serco NATS Training Services AFRICA (22) ALGERIA Établissement National de la Navigation Aérienne (CQRENA) ANGOLA Enana-EP/ Centro Aeronáutico de Instrução BOTSWANA IAS Aviation Academy CAMEROON Ecole Régionale de Sécurité Incendie (ERSI) EGYPT Egyptair Training Academy MIDDLE EAST (11) IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF) Civil Aviation Technology College (CATC) JORDAN Queen Noor Civil Aviation Technical College (QNCATC) KUWAIT Australian College of Kuwait (ACK) LEBANON Middle East Airlines Training Center OMAN Arabian Development and Training Institute International College of Engineering & Management Oman Aircraft Control College Oman Airports Learning & Development Center QATAR Qatar Aeronautical College (QAC) SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Academy of Civil Aviation (SACA) UNITED ARAB EMIRATES GAL ANS Training Centre Gulf Center for Aviation Studies (GCAS) ASIA/PACIFIC (25) AUSTRALIA ASSET Aviation Institute BANGLADESH Civil Aviation Training Centre (CATC) CHINA Capital Airports Management Academy Civil Aviation University of China (CAUC) Hong Kong International Aviation Academy (HKIAA) INDIA Airports Authority Rescue and Fire Fighting Services Training Centre Egyptian Aviation Academy (EAA) United for Aviation Technology Services (United ATS) ETHIOPIA Ethiopian Aviation Academy (EAA) Ethiopian Civil Aviation Training Centre (ECATC) GHANA Ghana Civil Aviation Training Academy (GATA) KENYA East African School of Aviation (EASA) MAURITIUS Airports of Mauritius Co Ltd. Aviation Training Centre MOROCCO Académie Internationale Mohamed VI de l’Aviation Civile (AIAC) Loumed Cabin Crew Training Center (LCCTC) NIGER Ecole Africaine de la Météorologie et de l’Aviation Civile (EAMAC) NIGERIA Flying School and Air Traffic Services & Communications School of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) SENEGAL Ecole Régionale de la Navigation Aérienne et Management (ERNAM) SOUTH AFRICA Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) – Aviation Training Academy SUDAN Sudan Academy for Aviation Sciences and Technology (SUDAFAST) TANZANIA Civil Aviation Training Centre (CATC) TUNISIA Académie Tuniso-Française de Formation en Sûreté de l’Aviation Civile (AFSAC) ZAMBIA Zambia Air Services Training Institute (ZASTI) Civil Aviation Training College Allahabad Fire Service Training Center (FSTC) GMR Aviation Academy Indian Aviation Academy (IAA) INDONESIA Civil Aviation Human Resource Development Centre Indonesia Civil Aviation Institute Sekolah Tinggi Penerbangan Indonesia JAPAN Aeronautical Safety College (ASC) MALAYSIA Malaysia Aviation Academy (MAvA) MONGOLIA Training Centre of the Mongolia Civil Aviation Authority (TCMCAA) NEPAL Civil Aviation Academy of Nepal (CAAN) NEW ZEALAND Airways New Zealand Training Centre PAKISTAN Civil Aviation Training Institute (CATI) PHILIPPINES Civil Aviation Training Center Civil Aviation Authority REPUBLIC OF KOREA Civil Aviation Training Centre of Korea Airports Corporation (KAC) Incheon Airport Aviation Academy (IAAA) SINGAPORE Singapore Aviation Academy (SAA) SRI LANKA Civil Aviation Training Centre (CATC) Sri Lankan Aviation College THAILAND Civil Aviation Training Centre (CATC) www.icao.int/training | trainairplus @ icao.int | +1 514.954.8219 ext 8171 106 MEMBERS OF THE TRAINAIR PLUS ™ PROGRAMME ICAO’s Cooperative Network of Training Centres 21 3 Regional Training Centres of Excellence 42 Full Members 38 Associate MembersNew Status As of 14 November 2018. 5 Corporate Partnersaspects of the air transport system. Technical matters no doubt need continuous attention to allay the risk of suffering major adverse consequences. However, there seems to be an imbalance in our collective approach. The fact is, no matter what the financial scope of investments in infrastructure, technology, systems, and other assets, wise decisions about the system must be guided by expert professional management. The business of aviation management is complex. Whether the issues at hand are related to the regulatory system, the airlines, the airports, the air navigation system providers or the manufacturers, special knowledge and expertise are required. Management capabilities that are needed in the broadest sense include foresight, governance, leadership, and administrative know-how. NEEDED NOW: COMPETENCIES OF THE FUTURE The anticipated future, albeit ambiguous, will require rethinking the existing competencies, as well as identifying and developing new ones. J. Canton in “Future Smart” (Da Capo Press, 2015) noted that “…we must educate for tomorrow to meet the challenges of the future”. He devoted a chapter to the evolution of education and emphasized the critical importance of concentrating on“…authentic learning; critical thinking, reasoning, collaboration, problem-solving and logic”. He further opined that “…curriculum taught today is out of sync with social issues and real- world scenarios”. Some leading academic institutions might disagree with that blanket assessment, yet it should be seen as a call for better, enhanced dialogue among the industry stakeholders that are involved in educating for the future and creating more impactful learning designs and systems. This would mean that we must consider how we develop and train human capital by using real-world simulations and gaming, among other techniques. The power of problem-based learning (PBL), over traditional methods, has been fully demonstrated in the last 20 years. PBL integration with coaching environments is known to have a multiplier effect; it is highly impactful on the retention level of learners as well as on professional practice in the field. Educational research has also demonstrated that when online learning is deployed correctly with a PBL approach, when combined with group work by multi-disciplinary/multi-cultural teams, it is at least as efficient as face-to face-training in many respects. COMPETENCY BUILDING MASTER PLAN – A LEARNING ORGANIZATION TRADEMARK Tripartite cooperation in the field of education for the air transport industry should be focused on three competency building activities: 1. Development of competency profiles 2. Assessment of competency gaps 3. Development of pragmatic strategies to close these gaps This approach may best be implemented through the development of Competency Air transport, like many other leading industries, is facing massive challenges. And while we are busy working on solutions to today’s problems, we must not forget our responsibility to prepare for the future of aviation. TRIPARTITE COOPERATION ICAO, global trade associations, aerospace enterprises, and educational institutions have all been contributing to address the challenges, as evidenced by the substantial number of conferences, publications, and training programmes. ICAO continues to open dialogue with the industry and academia on safety and security issues that are largely concentrated on technical matters and the harmonization of related standards. Global coordination with primary stakeholders plays an important role in tackling these concerns. Research performed at the Said Business School of Oxford University on scenario planning, relate to the TUNA conditions of the future, that are characterized by Turbulence, Uncertainty, Novelty and Ambiguity (Ramirez R. & Wilkinson, A, “Strategic Reframing”, Oxford University Press, 2016). In view of this, stakeholders should sensibly, closely, jointly examine how best to prepare upcoming generations for the unprecedented challenges they will face. NEEDED: MORE FOCUS ON MANAGEMENT As an industry we are probably not sufficiently addressing the managerial RE-DESIGNING AVIATION EDUCATION A COLLECTIVE EFFORT 32 RE-DESIGNING AVIATION EDUCATIONA CBMP should display the following characteristics: ♦ Focus on achieving organizational performance with reference to contextually meaningful and recognized best practices. ♦ Address all levels of an organization, namely, front-line, middle, and executive management, in an interrelated manner. ♦ Incorporate a structured plan for both internal and external training activities that provide access to relevant managerial best practices, whether from the aviation sector or from other pertinent areas of excellence. ♦ Feature a “coaching” dimension in all key functional areas to ensure that concepts and tools get implemented to the fullest possible extent. ♦ Link formally and transparently to succession planning programmes. ♦ Clearly identify anticipated ROI for each competency-building activity that is included in the plan with a realistic, meaningful approach to measuring of their success. ♦ Promote systems thinking and the eradication of functional-silo perspectives. ♦ Feature a competency assessment system (CAS) that integrates a battery of work-related situational simulations and psychometric tests that aim to identify the development requirements of learners, determine their progression, and support the mapping of their career paths within the enterprise. COLLABORATION FOR A COMPETENCY BUILDING APPROACH - POTENTIAL ROLES FOR ICAO, INDUSTRY AND ACADEMIA In the context of a CBMP approach, some potential roles for the partners could be: FOR ICAO: ♦ Coordinate a structured, global competency-building initiative, much like for the development of Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs). ♦ Assemble a compilation of universally applicable aviation sector competencies. ♦ Provide leadership on identifying the universally applicable technical competencies. ♦ Further develop the guidance and assistance to TRAINAIR Plus Members for the design of competency assessment tools and development programmes focused on addressing systematically validated performance gaps and the delivery of applicable best practices. FOR INDUSTRY: ♦ Provide leadership on identifying the universally applicable managerial competencies and gaps expressed by operational sub-sectors, i.e. airlines, airports, ANSPs and suppliers (key role to be played by trade associations such as: ACI, CANSO, IATA and TIACA). ♦ Systematically define the shifts in competency requirements associated with the advent/adoption of new business models and technologies. ♦ Share competency profiles among sectorial enterprises. ♦ Offer feedback to academia on user requirements for competency building programmes and the impact/relevance of programmes being delivered. ♦ Offer feedback to ICAO and academia on implementation issues regarding technical competencies. Building Master Plans (CBMPs) that are formulated at the global, State, aviation sub-sector, and enterprise levels. There is much to be gained from structured, active sharing of research, information, and best practices among industry stakeholders on the subject of competencies. Validated instruments should also be developed as tools for assessing the competencies of aviation personnel. Such tools should be jointly developed by subject-matter experts and industrial psychologists, and should go beyond measuring knowledge into measuring abilities in context to inform competency building strategies. Gaps that are identified through organizational audits, not surprisingly, pertain largely to human capital issues and often relate to managerial competency concerns. One emerging best practice that constitutes an improvement over traditional, often poorly rationalized training plans is the CBMP. A key divergence of the CBMP is that training activities relate directly to organizational performance targets de facto highlighting returns on investment (ROI). It constitutes a fundamental element of an entrepreneurial culture that leading organizations are currently adopting. 33 ICAO TRAINING REPORT | NO. 1 | 2018 RE-DESIGNING AVIATION EDUCATIONFOR ACADEMIA: ♦ Conduct research in support of ICAO, States, trade associations and aviation enterprises on competency targets and their evolution in the context of future requirements. ♦ Adapt academic programmes to meet the needs identified in CBMPs. ♦ Consider “crediting” structured, quality- professional training programmes to encourage the learning path synergies in aviation (i.e., the recognition of the Global ACI-ICAO Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme against the Toulouse Business School Aviation MBA and the Southern Cross University MBA). Of note: at their level, States also have a crucial role and responsibility, to assess the future human resources development requirements relevant to their jurisdictions. They would be well advised to develop “national” CBMPs for their own aviation sectors and reap the resulting benefits associated with more efficient human capital policy making and strategic planning. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE- RELEVANT COMPETENCIES TO BE ADDRESSED THROUGH TRIPARTITE COLLABORATION Going forward, some emerging competency areas that are critical, and seem particularly relevant to the air transport industry, include: Passenger Experience Management “In recent years, the aviation industry has often been severely criticized for disregarding the passengers’ perspective, imposing unreasonable fees in spite of deteriorating service levels, and taking advantage of monopolistic or quasi- monopolistic situations… are we truly paying attention to our level of customer service? How serious are we about treating passengers as true customers? Can we take more leadership in fixing this?” (Coutu. P., “Let Us Advocate For A More Meaningful, Customer-centric Approach”, Editorial, Issue no.1, Winter 2012-13, Journal of Airport Management, Henry Stewart Publications) Data Analytics and Decision Support Systems Ernst & Young defines data analytics as “… the practice of capturing, managing and PIERRE COUTU AMPAP Programme Executive Global ACI-ICAO Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme analyzing data to drive business strategy and performance by turning raw data into information” (“Analytics: Creating Actionable Insight Trough Data”, EYGM Limited, 2015). With the rapid progression of artificial intelligence, data analytics will likely become a very powerful tool in the development of meaningful decision support systems. Foresight and Scenario Planning Industry leaders generally concede that the rapidly evolving global aviation industry business environment will have significant impact, yet many observers seem to think we are stuck in a form of short-term planning framework that does not bode well for the future because it is confining the industry to high risk. R. Kreibich, Director of the Institute for Future Studies and Technology Assessment (Berlin) said “Although megatrends and the core problems of global change are even now deeply affecting all areas of life, and although we already have a great deal of knowledge about the future, very little is being done. There is a huge gap between the challenges - even crises - that we know lie ahead and the practical responses offered on the global, national, and regional levels” (“All Tomorrow’s Crises”, IP, Spring 2007). IN CONCLUSION As the future of the aviation industry evolves and becomes more complex, there is a clear need for improving tripartite cooperation among ICAO, industry organizations, and academia to deliver education programmes for the next generation of aviation professionals. This would best be achieved through a coordinated, harmonized focus on competency requirements and the adoption of Competency Building Master Planning frameworks. 34 RE-DESIGNING AVIATION EDUCATIONwell known internationally. For instance, the precursor to South African Airways the national carrier, Union Airways, was founded in 1929 (just fifteen years after the formation of the first commercial airline in the United States of America) and the world’s first commercial jet flight flew from London to Johannesburg (the commercial hub of South Africa) in 1952. South Africa has a world class aerospace design, development, manufacturing and services industry that traces its roots back to the start of the previous century. South Africa has designed, manufactured and maintained its own aerospace systems; has developed long standing partnerships with the likes of Boeing and Airbus amongst many others; and has sold aviation products and system globally for many decades. It is within this historical framework that universities in South Africa have developed mechanisms to support the airline operators, aerospace companies and the abovementioned associated engineering industry, for which access to appropriate talent is a constant need. THE NEED FOR A TALENT PIPELINE This need led to the creation of a talent pipeline through the National Aerospace Centre (NAC), which was founded in 2006, that starts at the secondary school level and ends at the post graduate level within the tertiary (university) education environment. NAC was created by the South African government to specifically enhance aviation education within academia and to ensure the growth of the sector through human capital development support. This human capital development journey starts in grades ten, eleven and twelve (late secondary school) when youth are introduced to science, engineering and mathematics, via experiential and outreach events, industrial visits, competitions and attendance at science expositions. This process is tailored specifically to allow them to make informed career choices before they enter into either the aviation job market directly, or the university and college education system first, and then the aviation sector after graduation. It is this formal entry into the tertiary education system at the undergraduate level that has necessitated the development of specific support mechanisms within academia in South Africa that ensure the skills and technologies developed, will always remain relevant to the needs of the sector itself. THE ROLE UNIVERSITIES CAN PLAY South African universities have, for almost two decades now, been divided into three broad groupings – traditional The Republic of South Africa sits geographically at the very southern tip of a continent that has perhaps not been adequately recognized for its actual size. The African continent, having a surface area of over 30 million square kilometres, is bigger than China, the United States of America and the whole of western Europe combined. It is well over twice the size of the Russian Federation, and the distance in nautical miles from Cape Town to Cairo is almost twice the distance from New York to Los Angeles. This vast area brings some unique challenges, which when coupled with environmental, surface transportation and political forces, necessitates a unique approach to the aviation industry and the ways Human Capital Development (HCD) must be tailored to effectively maintain and grow the aviation sectors role on the continent. This is where universities, not only in South Africa, but across Africa, have a vital role to play in developing the appropriate talent and skills to service the aviation industry, and in doing so, support the growth and developmental needs of the continent as a whole. SOUTH AFRICA’S AVIATION HISTORY South Africa, in comparison to its neighbouring States, has a very long commercial aviation history, a history that is again perhaps not sufficiently HIGHER EDUCATION AVIATION TRAINING: A SOUTH AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE 35 ICAO TRAINING REPORT | NO. 2 | 2018 HIGHER EDUCATION TRAININGensure delivery to industry. There must be continuous road-mapping of academic capabilities to ensure that global trends and new technologies are always considered. Likewise, similar industrial relationships (and networks) need to be developed, maintained and managed to take up the technologies that are developed, and to employ the talent that graduates from academic institutions in a meaningful way. The multi-year role that NAC has played within the South African academic sector has led to the creation of three levels of education-based relationships with industry and government: ♦ Strategic partners: Government departments and national and international regulatory bodies that are responsible for national and regional strategies, as well as compliance, certification and qualification processes within the aviation sector ♦ Developmental partners: Specialist institutions, and mechanisms within the regulatory bodies and industry that provide funding for HCD, training, course development, R&D projects and services for the aviation sector ♦ Project partners: Joint investigative projects with government departments and national and international regulatory bodies that serve to support the above strategic and developmental programmes. Within the South African context these existing relationships have led to the development of the following range of thematic areas within academia: ♦ Aerospace manufacturing process and materials ♦ Maintenance, repair and overhaul technologies ♦ Air traffic management ♦ Aeronautical design ♦ Aeronautical dynamics and control ♦ Firm level competitiveness and supply chain optimization ♦ Space engineering and propulsion ♦ Aerospace electronics A thematic area therefore serves as a single point of entry for government and industry to gain access to academic talent and research content in any relevant academic institutions. It is incumbent upon a mechanism such as the NAC, to ensure that all universities get adequate opportunities to play a role in their specific area of specialization. A WAY FORWARD The model as described above has worked extremely well for the South African education system and the domestic aviation sector that it serves. It has supported significant numbers of university students, within a wide range of universities, jointly sponsored multi-year research and development projects that have resulted in tangible increases in the sectors competitiveness both regionally and internationally, it has generated significant intellectual property (IP), and it prompted a drive to promote the model beyond the borders of South Africa. The way forward is driven by the opening comments regarding the vastness, size and complexity of the African continent. The need for remote education processes, online course content, distributed academic support models, continuing adult education, and bilateral and multilateral relationships between universities all the way from the Cape to Cairo, is all the more important in today’s world. A world that is embracing artificial intelligence, virtual reality, automation and remote sensing, and that considers concepts such as Industry 4.0 as both a natural and normal building block of the world of tomorrow. The notion of developing a training needs framework for all of Africa is more prescient and vital than ever before, but this cannot be achieved without the active participation of universities and educators across the continent. universities that have a more fundamental research and teaching focus; universities of technology that have a more practical teaching focus; and finally comprehensive universities which offer both the fundamental and practical teaching streams in one institution. These academic groupings all work complimentary to each other and serve two distinct needs within the industrial development value chain. Universities of technology provide technological career development that is focused on the immediate or short term industrial needs and associated skills requirements, whilst traditional universities consider the more medium- to long-term requirements of the industry they serve, especially when considering the research and development content they can create on behalf of the industry. This research and development (R&D) content within the traditional university space will invariably lead to the creation of intellectual property that, if it is exploited correctly within the domestic and regional sectors, will have a long term benefit for the industry in terms of growth, sustainability and the depth of human capital or talent. THE IMPACT OF AN INDUSTRY SUPPORT CENTRE HOUSED WITHIN ACADEMIA A merger of the HCD and the R&D paths within universities must be driven by the needs of the aviation industry itself. In other words, an aviation support centre that is housed within academia, such as NAC, must not exist to support academic research or teaching content that has no relevance to the aviation industry. It must be fully focused on the needs of the sector it serves. In order to ensure that this relevance is maintained, cognisance needs to be taken of the specific areas of expertise and specialization that each individual academic institution has. Additionally, networks of academic research groups and clusters need to be developed nation-wide to exploit this expertise, and maintained and managed to PHILIP HAUPT Director National Aerospace Center (NAC) University of the Witwatersrand 36 HIGHER EDUCATION TRAININGAVIATION TRAINING CENTRE LISTINGS PROMOTE YOUR TRAINING CENTRE For more information or to lock into the special introductory rate visit here: https://www.unitingaviation.com/training-center-listing/ « GLOBAL AVIATION TRAINING » Every article in this magazine points to the to the exponential growth that will impact this industry in the coming years. The aviation community must have access to enough qualified, competent personnel to operate and manage the air transport system according to standards and established frameworks. We want to help you – to help us – to help the aviation industry meet these human resource demands. Expanding your visibility increases your exposure. In 2019, we will be featuring aviation training centre listings in every issue of the ICAO Training Report. Through our distribution network and events, we have a broad audience – we want to help your training centres reach them. Take this opportunity, use these half-page advertisements to increase awareness on your course offerings and calendars. These advertisements will also be shared on a special training profile page on ICAO’s UnitingAviation.com digital magazine.Next >