Training and Capacity-building
Training Organization Recognition
One of the main pillars of ICAO’s Civil Aviation Training Policy is the recognition of training organizations. This is achieved through the successful on-site assessments conducted by ICAO of prospective training organizations, based on ICAO guidelines for aviation training activities and the TRAINAIR PLUS Programme (TPP) membership requirements.
During the course of an assessment, ICAO validates the training organization’s capability to deliver competency-based training, and to manage it in such a way as to effectively support the development of adequately skilled aviation professionals.
Since the establishment of the ICAO TPP in 2010, 142 membership assessments have been conducted, including 41 in 2015. Currently, the TPP network is composed of 85 Members, 13 of which joined in 2015. Out of the 85 TPP members, there are 33 Associate Members, 32 Full Members, 16 Regional Training Centres of Excellence (RTCE) and four Corporate Members.
Training Programme Implementation
Since 2011, 445 ICAO-recognized training courses have been delivered, and this number has steadily increased in each succeeding year.
In 2015 alone, the Global Aviation Training (GAT) Office delivered 214 ICAO-recognized courses globally, a 67 per cent increase from the previous year.
The number of trainees who participated in ICAO courses has also increased every year. The GAT Office has provided ICAO courses to a total of 6 638 trainees since 2011, including 2 873 trainees who followed ICAO courses in 2015, a 38 per cent increase from the year before.
This significant increase in the number of courses and trainees in 2015 is the result of the enhancement of the TPP network, with greater options and locations to deliver courses included in the GAT portfolio, which had previously been handled by other ICAO sections, and the introduction of additional ICAO courses.
Training Course Development
In 2015, the GAT Office launched a training course development plan extending the categories of ICAO-harmonized training packages (i.e. ICAO courses). ICAO Bureaus, Regional Offices, RTCEs, TPP Members, the industry and academic institutions have worked with the GAT Office to develop courses or have existing courses reviewed and recognized by ICAO.
As of December, 15 ICAO courses are currently under development. A new course entitled “Leading Quality Instructional Systems Design (ISD)” was launched to provide training centres with internal validation capabilities for the development and implementation of competency-based training.
Implementation of all these competency-based training courses supports capacity-building and ICAO’s Strategic Objectives.
Training Quality Management System
For the effective and efficient implementation of ICAO Assembly Resolution A38-12 (“Consolidated statement of continuing ICAO policies and associated practices related specifically to air navigation” Appendix D — “Qualified and Competent Aviation Personnel”), and the Civil Aviation Training Policy, the GAT Office developed and launched its Quality Management System (QMS) in 2015.
As a result, all GAT Office activities are continuously monitored with detailed quality assurance and control processes. Additionally, the GAT Office initiated the development of an Electronic Quality Management System (EQMS) in 2015, making the quality management activity more systematic and efficient. EQMS is designed to assist in conducting functions related to internal audit, non-conformity reporting and QMS documentation library.
Performance-based Navigation (PBN) Training
The development of air traffic controller and pilot Computer-based Training (CBT) progressed well during 2015, and is expected to be completed early in 2016. The availability of these CBTs will greatly help to improve the overall understanding of PBN by controllers and pilots.
To assist States with PBN implementation and to develop regional training capability, the PBN Programme trained a cadre of headquarters personnel to deliver PBN operations (OPS) approval courses and airspace design workshops. The intention is to use these trainers to train local experts who would then be able to deliver courses in their region, supporting the Flight Procedures Programmes (FPPs) in their work.
PBN training is now an area of high focus for the programme as the PBN Study Group identified a lack thereof as a significant barrier to successful implementation. The training plan currently in development will see training guidance on PBN across all areas to enable all stakeholders to play an active role in the implementation and utilization of PBN.
Training Related to Aviation Security and Facilitation
The worldwide network of Aviation Security Training Centres (ASTCs) grew to 29 during 2015, with the addition of a training centre in Minsk, Belarus. An evaluation of a training centre in Dublin, Ireland, was also conducted.
As part of the ASTC activities, 40 ICAO-sponsored courses and workshops were conducted through the ASTC Network with 521 aviation security specialists from a total of 105 Member States benefitting from the training.
In 2015, the process of revising all Aviation Security Training Packages (ASTPs), in collaboration with the GAT Office, was initiated.
A TRAINAIR PLUS Standardized Training Package (STP) entitled “Control of the Authenticity and Validity of Travel Documents at Airport Borders – Level 1” was developed jointly by the Facilitation Section and the GAT Office to meet the increasing demand for technical assistance by ICAO Member States to reduce the use of fraudulent travel documents in order to combat cross-border crime and terrorism.
The STP aims to further advance knowledge and skills required by front-line officers to identify fraudulent travel documents. The STP is expected to be officially launched in the near future.
More information on ICAO’s aviation security training activities.
Training Course for Regional Officers (TRAINRO)
In an effort to improve capacity of the ICAO Regional Offices and to harmonize knowledge and share best practices to better serve the international civil aviation community, the seventh TRAINRO was conducted at ICAO Headquarters from 28 September-9 October. Fifteen staff members from all Regional Offices, including six Deputy Directors and the Chief of the Beijing Regional Sub-Office, participated.
The training focused on: improving management skills of senior Technical Officers and Deputy Directors; sharing ideas and best practices between Regional Offices and Headquarters; and updates regarding the new ANB structure and related activities in other ICAO bureaus. TRAINRO updated the participants on tools and procedures available to the Regional Offices in support of increased levels of implementation of ICAO provisions.
Human Resources
Capacity-building and outreach activities continued to be pursued in 2015, with the overall objective of developing talent for the next generation of international civil aviation professionals, as well as attracting young candidates from a diverse geographic background to ICAO, while taking gender into consideration.
The programmes highlighted in this report, appearing under the page “Human Resources Capacity-building Initiatives for International Civil Aviation”, are the Human Resources Development Fund, the Young Aviation Professionals Programme, the ICAO Internship Programme and partnership with the International Aviation Women’s Association.
In collaboration with ICT, the Global Aviation Training (GAT) and TRAINAIR PLUS systems have been improved in order to provide first-rate training tools. Expert communication and collaboration tools are being developed for several sections, including Facilitation and GAT.
As well, interactive multimedia and iKits have been developed for the purpose of improving the dissemination of critical information, enhancing training, and promoting ICAO’s strategic objectives and overall image.
