Aviation is a crucial driver of economic and social growth, playing an essential role in connecting nations, supporting international trade, enabling tourism, and advancing technological innovation. It is also a key enabler of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) that foster inclusive economic growth, promote access to quality education, decent work, gender equality and address climate action. The industry’s capacity to deliver these essential benefits faces a pressing global challenge: the accelerating shortage of qualified aviation professionals.
Attracting new talent is a high-level priority enabler we have identified to support our strategic goals through 2050, including achieving zero fatalities and net-zero carbon emissions to address climate change while fostering the continued development of our industry.
We launched the Next Generation Aviation Professionals (NGAP) programme after the ICAO Assembly (Resolution A39-29) was adopted to ensure there would be enough qualified and capable aviation professionals available to operate, manage and maintain the future international air transport system. Through collaboration with academia, States, and industry stakeholders, the work of the NGAP programme supports the creation of a sustainable and innovative workforce to ensure aviation has the capacity to support aviation in the future. In line with this goal, a joint initiative from states and industry organizations led to the formation of the Global Aviation and Aerospace Skills Taskforce (GAAST), with Airports Council International World(ACI), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Co-ordinating Council of Aeropace Industries Associations (ICCAIA) and the UK Department for Transport as the founding members.
The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) recently hosted the second Global Aviation and Aerospace Skills Taskforce (GAAST/2) meeting in Abu Dhabi. The meeting focused on collaboratively identifying approaches and best practices to address the workforce challenges that are threatening the resilience of the global aviation system.
A Growing Demand for Aviation Professionals
The aviation industry is set to experience significant growth in the coming decades. Jorge Vargas, Director of ICAO’s Capacity, and Implementation Bureau, emphasized this growth, noting, “Air transport has historically doubled in size every fifteen years, outpacing most other industries. Looking ahead, we expect world passenger numbers to grow by 3.8% annually. This growth means we will see 4 billion more passenger journeys in 2043 compared to 2023.” There is an urgent need for a skilled workforce that can support expanding operations and maintain high safety and efficiency standards.
Additionally, a large contingent of the current generation of aviation professionals are nearing retirement, access to affordable training and education is becoming more difficult, and the aviation industry competes with other industry sectors for highly skilled professionals.
Supporting ICAO’s global objectives:
The collaboration between NGAP and GAAST marks a significant step in aligning and advancing the objectives of NGAP, by working together to address critical challenges in attracting, retaining, and empowering a sustainable global aviation workforce. Central to this partnership are the NGAP Programme’s key focus areas, which represent four core pillars to address workforce challenges.
The four NGAP pillars:
- Advocacy, outreach, and promotion of best practices: Raise awareness of workforce challenges and opportunities, foster collaboration between all key stakeholders, sharing best practices, and promoting policies that reflect the values and needs of the next generation. This includes improving the industry’s value proposition, public perception, and further alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as gender equality, access to quality education, decent work, and reduced inequalities. Engaging youth and showcasing aviation as a rewarding career path are also central to this focus areas
- Workforce forecasting: Collect data on all aviation disciplines to inform strategic decisions and targeted actions to address workforce needs and ensure a sustainable talent pipeline for the future.
- Education and training: Enhance training and academic programmes to meet the changing needs of both the industry and workers. This also includes bridging gaps between training and operational requirements and fostering global mobility through mutual recognition of competencies and training credentials
- Capacity development and implementation support: Empower States with tools, resources, and expertise to build diverse and inclusive aviation workforces. This includes ensuring access to affordable education and supporting States in delivering effective workforce solutions so no country is left behind
Aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
The workforce strategies of the NGAP programme are closely aligned with the UN SDGs. Specifically, they aim to promote gender equality, decent work and economic growth, access to quality education, and the reduction of inequalities. Additionally, the initiatives emphasize climate action and the creation of resilient infrastructure, while fostering innovation and promoting sustainable industrialization. These efforts demonstrate the aviation industry’s commitment to supporting broader global sustainability goals while simultaneously ensuring its long-term growth.
Looking Ahead to ICAO’s 42nd Assembly
The outcomes of the GAAST/2 meeting will contribute to our 42nd General Assembly in 2025, where NGAP and GAAST will formalize joint actions to further drive their global objectives. The discussions and decisions during this meeting will help drive impactful dialogue toward addressing workforce challenges. By working together, we can provide comprehensive solutions and insights that will benefit all States, aiming to enhance the aviation sector’s value proposition, making it a top career choice for diverse talent worldwide while ensuring its sustainability and resilience for future generations.
By continuing to invest in its people, driving innovation, and strengthening global partnerships, the aviation industry is paving the way for a safer, more secure, and sustainable future for international civil aviation.
