Today’s youth demographic globally comprises close to two billion people; that’s two billion times more enthusiasm and energy from a generation that is highly equipped, not just with the knowledge and passion, but also with the technology to put our planet on a sustainable path. As a UN agency, ICAO is committed to improving socio-economic development in Member States, in line with the UN’s Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals, and has been working to broaden the scope of its outreach to young leaders. This is because we realize that at no point in history has the involvement of young leaders ever been more critical to unlocking the power of human potential.
As a result, ICAO’s Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) initiative has been developed to attract, educate, train and retain the best and the brightest that our coming generations have to offer to manage the growth of the global air transport network. Through NGAP, we are facilitating access to aviation training and education programmes which lead to dependable recruitment opportunities and shorter-term career advancement returns for young professionals. These avenues exist in host of affiliations with Concordia University, Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile of France, and the University of Waterloo.
The Young Aviation Professionals Programme (YAPP), a special development programme dedicated to the next generation of aviation professionals, is one of our most sought after initiatives. Led by ICAO in conjunction with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airports Council International (ACI), YAPP provides live-changing skills for participants.