The aviation industry requires a large pool of young professionals in all areas and departments to address challenges that a lack of succession planning may create for the industry in the future, Capt. Musa Nuhu, the director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said.
The authority also craved the indulgence of critical stakeholders, either private or public to support any initiative that would provide training and retraining, scholarships, sponsorships, and investment in capacity building for young people.
Nuhu made these known at the 6th Next Generation of Aviation Professionals Conference held in Lagos over the weekend with the theme: ‘Empowering the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals Through Scholarships and Sponsorships’.
Growing demand: Nuhu, represented by Alhaji Adamu Wakili, the director of human resources and administration, noted that there was a growing demand for the training and grooming of a large workforce of young men and women in all sectors of commercial aviation because of the growth and increase in passenger traffic, cargo and airports around the country.
He said, ”Generally, the global aviation industry is growing fast; aeroplanes are becoming bigger, flying faster and reducing travel time; there is a mass movement of passengers and cargo within the orbit.
- ”Airports are becoming larger and more complex, handling millions of passengers per annum, while meeting security challenges”.
Sustained synergy, partnership: He further noted that while the demand for technical skills is persistent in aircraft maintenance, flight operations, air traffic control, airport maintenance, and management, achieving the goal of sufficient, skilled, and efficiently trained manpower would require a sustained synergy and partnership among critical stakeholders.
Nuhu stressed that manpower development could be ensured via scholarships and sponsorships from organisations and well-meaning individuals, especially to young aviators, maintaining that this is fundamental to the sustainable development of the industry.
- ”I, therefore, crave the indulgence of every critical stakeholder present, either private or public to support any initiative that will promote the sustainable development of the aviation industry either through training and retraining, scholarships, investment in aviation infrastructure, etc.”
He gave the assurance that the NCAA would continue to spearhead the formulation of relevant and proactive regulations for the economic development of the sector, while also progressively strengthening its oversight responsibilities to entrench safe and secured air transportation in Nigeria.
The NCAA boss equally commended MamaJ Aviation Consult for consistently promoting human capacity development and encouraging the youths to take up careers in aviation to help bridge the manpower gap in the industry.
- “This conference is timely as it tends to address, introduce and mentor young Nigerians that are desirous and passionate to join the aviation industry, taking into account the urgent need for more fresh hands in the aviation industry and invariably closing the gap created by the aging workforce to further develop and ensure succession plans for others to grow and take over,” he said.
