Artificial intelligence, automation, sustainability imperatives, and shifting workforce expectations are reshaping what it means to work in aviation. New career paths are emerging, traditional roles are evolving, and future professionals will need to balance technological expertise with adaptability, collaboration, and resilience.
This transformation raises urgent questions for States, industry, and regulators: how can aviation prepare its workforce for jobs that don’t yet exist, while ensuring no country is left behind? The issues go far beyond technology. Supervisory frameworks, certification systems, and workforce policies will all need to adapt to keep pace. Training methods must evolve to embrace innovation without compromising safety, while workplace cultures must shift toward inclusivity and collaboration. At its core, the future of work in aviation is not just about new tools or procedures — it is about people, and how they are equipped to thrive in a rapidly changing global industry.
In Durban, South Africa, during the ICAO Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Global Summit, which was co-hosted by ICAO and the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) under the leadership of South Africa’s Department of Transport, we tackled these questions head-on.
Key insights from the second session
Moderated by Christian Schleifer-Heingärtner, ICAO Council Representative of Austria and Chair of the ICAO Council Innovation Group, the panel featured perspectives from:
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Thabani Myeza, Director, Africa Affairs, CANSO
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Khangi Khoza, Executive Chair of the Board, Swissport South Africa
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Ben Stanley, CEO, Firstfruits
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Musaveroh Barrie, Director General, Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority
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Gary Vermaak, Vice President, Open AAM ORG; Chief of Staff: Advisors, Advanced Air Mobility Institute; Co-Founder, Renewable Methanol Working Group
Their discussions pointed to how technological disruptions, shifting workforce expectations, and sustainability imperatives are converging to reshape aviation work. Panelists underlined that while automation and digitalization will redefine many roles, people remain central to the industry’s future. They stressed the urgency of upskilling and reskilling the current workforce, expanding pathways into new fields like data analytics, unmanned aerial systems, and green technologies, and ensuring that training and certification frameworks evolve quickly enough to keep pace. The conversation also emphasized that flexible work models, inclusive leadership, and equitable access to transformation are not optional, but essential for building a resilient, competitive, and future-ready aviation workforce.Together, they examined how aviation can adapt to rapid technological, social, and environmental change while ensuring that people remain at the centre of the industry.
Highlights included:
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Emerging roles in data science, green innovation, unmanned systems, and advanced air mobility, reshaping what it means to work in aviation.
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Upskilling and reskilling as a constant requirement, supported by flexible and modular learning systems.
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Equitable transformation, ensuring developing countries gain affordable access to training technologies and infrastructure.
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Certification innovation to recognize new hybrid and technology-driven roles more quickly.
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Cultural and leadership shifts that empower younger professionals and encourage cross-generational collaboration.
Calls to Action
The panel concluded with a set of actionable recommendations:
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Integrate future skills into aviation education and training.
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Ensure inclusive implementation strategies so developing countries can participate fully in workforce transformation.
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Promote global cooperation to accelerate recognition of new roles and training systems.
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Address cultural and institutional barriers by embedding leadership development and diversity into workforce strategies.
Why this matters
The future of aviation work is not a distant prospect — it is unfolding now. If the industry fails to align skills with emerging needs, it risks widening gaps in safety, efficiency, and competitiveness. But by embracing innovation, ensuring equitable access, and embedding diversity into leadership, aviation can create a future-ready workforce that is resilient, inclusive, and sustainable.
Session 2 strongly reinforced Priority Area 2 of the NGAP Draft Call to Action: Integrate Future Skills and Innovation into Education and Training Systems. So much subtantive information was shared in this session, watch the full recording of Session 2 on ICAO TV to hear directly from the panelists on how aviation can adapt its systems, cultures, and policies to build a resilient, future-ready workforce.
