The International Federation of Air Traffic Control Association (IFATCA) held its 64th General Assembly in Abu Dhabi and the program of the first day featured two panel discussions which included guests from outside of IFATCA.
The second panel was opened by Anne Kathrine Jensen, CEO of Entry Point North and she went straight to the point: “We have to be honest with candidates: ATC is a demanding job, it requires to work on week-ends, holidays, the stakes are high and it requires a high level of accountability and responsibility. If they are not willing to accept it, they should not be Air Traffic Controller (ATCO) trainees”.
She explained that “ATCO students are not accepting an initial training leading to a career seated in front of a radar screen anymore. They want a life-long learning experience and psychological safety. She added that new generations are not afraid of showing their emotions when given feedback, when candidates from previous generations are more used to grinding their teeth. This is not judgemental, just a statement of facts: new students have a different perception of what is valuable and important to them and if the industry does not adjust, they will not join”.
New generation – new expectations
Trish Gilbert, Executive Vice President Americas at IFATCA added that “the new generation being digital natives, recruitment must happen where they are, on social media. ANSPs also need to have the right messaging. It is not about good pay anymore but social issues, causes and employer branding are also key.” Reda Al Madbouly, Executive Manager at UNITED ATS mentioned that “there is also a need for a new kind of instructor to train the new generation. Training is not only about teaching anymore, the new students require instructors who can motivate them.”
Dennis Chavez, Head of Training at GANS, confirmed that “marketing is crucial to attract new trainees.” He highlighted that working irregular shifts is an increasing obstacle for recruitment and he came with a proposal: increase the use of word of mouth. Reflecting on a personal story, he explained how young people having ATCO family members or friends often become aware of and interested in the profession. Hesham Al-Tenaiji, Senior Manager ANS Training at General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) confirmed that “understanding the needs and expectations of the new generation is key and that ANSPs must use word of mouth indeed but also have to be present at recruitment events and show-up more.”
The final part of the discussion was about what ANSPs must do to not only attract but also retain new air traffic controllers. Trish Gilbert insisted that it is important to fulfill promises made. For example, having rules about fatigue management is meaningless if the appropriate amount of ATCOs required to effectively implement such rules are not available.
More modern technology for training
Reda Al Madbouly pleaded for competency based training, explaining that it makes no sense to base training on hours passed in training. It is better to evaluate which competencies have been mastered by the students and which not. Hesham Al-Tenaiji added that “modern technologies have a role to play in training”, mentioning for example how eye tracking can be used to evaluate situation awareness. He added that while technology is progressing, it is important to not underestimate the cost of retraining instructors.
Anne Kathrine Jensen highlighted another obstacle related to technology: explaining to students used to smartphones and other modern gadgets that the older tech used in ATM is still good, even if it is old. Trish Gilbert then asked how some ANSPs, sometimes struggling in funding their operational systems, would be able to invest in new training technologies. Anne Kathrin Jensen replied that at organisations like Entry Point North the costs of training are mostly human costs, as the use of technological resources can be optimised with a sufficient number of students.
Trish Gilbert closed the discussion on a grim note, “in the Americas regions, ATCOs are overworked and underpaid, to the point where many have to work side jobs to make both ends meet.” The Americas region covers North and South America as well as the Caribbean, ATCOs in this region often try to relocate to another country as soon as they are qualified, and get a short training for getting their local qualification. This means the ANSP training them initially bears all the training costs and can’t harvest the results.
Slow progress on old issues
The problems discussed on this panel are not new. Most ANSPs have been chronically understaffed for years. This panel showed that the issue of training and retaining the next generation of ATCOs is not only identified but the reasons behind it are now being understood. Fully solving this problem will require long lasting efforts and changes. It was interesting to hear perspectives from various parts of the world but also from different types of training organisations. The IFATCA organisers avoided a pitfall, as such panels can easily turn into a complaint-only session. But this one was not only about problems but also solutions, propositions, ideas, and reports about progress, definitely making it worth attending.
