Global Aviation Training section
As the COVID-19 crisis continues to affect the civil aviation sector and aviation-related training, the Global Aviation Training section (GAT) is further expanding and diversifying its training portfolio and promotional activities to adapt to the new training environment. Results achieved in 2021 are summarized below.
TRAINAIR PLUS membership
By 2021, the TRAINAIR PLUS Programme (TPP), ICAO’s network of training organizations and partners, had been implemented in 72 ICAO Member States. TPP membership included 113 organizations and higher-level education institutions, four of which joined in 2021. TPP Members continued to develop and deliver ICAO-recognized training packages listed in ICAO’s comprehensive GAT course catalogue.
TPP enhancement
Airports Council International (ACI) and ICAO signed an agreement establishing a recognition process for training organizations involved in airport operations and management training activities, identifying them as a “TPP Member – Airport”. Under the agreement, recognized training organizations could expand their training courses throughout the local and global airport community through cost-effective programmes recognized by ACI and ICAO.
Assessment of training organizations
GAT conducted 33 assessments, including assessments of new TRAINAIR PLUS Members and reassessments of existing TPP Members to monitor the quality of ICAO-recognized training.
Course development
Twenty-six ICAO Training Packages (ITPs) were developed, translated or converted into a virtual format by GAT. In addition, 11 ITPs, 11 Standardized Training Packages (STPs) and 10 Partnership Training Packages (PTPs) were developed by TPP Members or in cooperation with TPP Corporate Partners.
Delivery of ICAO-recognized training packages
TPP Members currently have access to 364 courses in the GAT catalogue. During the reporting period, GAT managed the delivery of 486 ICAO-recognized training packages (including 235 virtual or online courses and 251 in-person classroom courses) to approximately 10 874 trainees worldwide. A total of 4 994 trainees participated in self-study online courses, 1 980 trainees participated in virtual courses, and 3 900 trainees attended in-person courses.
Partnerships
GAT established partnership agreements with the University of Antwerp in Belgium, Emirates in the United Arab Emirates, and McGill University in Canada. Additional agreements were signed with the following existing partners: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, CAA International (part of the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority) and Airports Council International (ACI).
Activities of the ICAO Aviation Security Training Centre (ASTC) Network
ICAO’s aviation security training is coordinated by the Implementation Support and Development Section – Security (ISD-SEC) in the Air Transport Bureau. In 2021, 32 ICAO-sponsored aviation security training events (21 virtual and 11 in-person) were conducted through the ICAO Aviation Security Training Centre (ASTC) Network, benefiting 428 aviation security specialists from 86 Member States.
Virtual events
GAT hosted six webinars entitled “Adapting to a New Normal in Aviation Training” to discuss the evolving training landscape since the onset of the pandemic. The virtual sessions brought together 658 participants from 119 States. In addition, GAT organized seven thematic virtual ICAO Training Weeks on training competency development, airport safety, international air law, compliance with Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) verification, safety training, and security training.
Qualification process for training professionals
In 2021, 41 new instructors were qualified, bringing the total number of qualified instructors on the GAT roster to 195. Five new instructional systems design (ISD) validators were qualified to support the validation of ICAO-recognized training packages, bringing the total number of qualified ISD validators to 33. Twenty-one Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) were qualified, bringing the total number of qualified SMEs to 68.
Learning Management System (LMS)
In 2021, the GAT Learning Management System (LMS) offered 36 training courses, including: 25 ITP self-study online courses, four ITP hybrid courses, five PTP self-study online courses, one workshop and one non-ITP online course. To support the use of Implementation Packages (iPacks), 10 self-study online courses and one workshop were offered on the LMS. The platform offered 32 online courses in English, three in Spanish, and one in French. A total of 2 472 trainees enrolled in LMS courses, 1 482 of which received e-Certificates through the platform upon course completion.
Gender Equality Initiative
To encourage the participation of current and aspiring women aviation professionals in ICAO’s online and virtual courses, GAT launched the Gender Equality Initiative, offering a discount of 50 per cent on select online and virtual courses to women participants. GAT received the support of Member States to implement this initiative in all 46 least developed countries. More than 525 women trainees from 83 States have benefited from the initiative.
Contributions to iPacks
GAT continued to contribute to the development of iPack training components. Specific training was incorporated into the following iPacks:
• COVID-19 Aviation Security Quality Control Oversight; and
• Establishing a Regulatory Framework for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
