The current shortage of ground handling staff which has been highlighted by the recovery of the commercial aviation industry has led IATA (International Air Transport Association) to recommend reforms to manage long-term requirements for a stable base of talent for the ground handling sector. While many left the ground handling sector of the industry as a consequence of the pandemic, now that there is a demand for their skills, a bottleneck of new staff has been created by delays resulting from the time-consuming security clearance procedure. With the peak northern summer season rapidly approaching IATA feels that this sector should adopt a stronger acquisition strategy, streamline onboarding processes and develop a more compelling retention proposition. Consequently, the Association has put forward the following recommendations:
- An awareness campaign to highlight the attractiveness and importance of ground operations in global logistics and transport operations.
- Adoption of 25by25 campaign to help address the gender imbalance across the industry.
- Apprenticeships in partnership with trade schools to revitalize candidate pipelines.
- Career path mapping to demonstrate long-term prospects for people entering the sector.
IATA has also suggested that the current six-month time schedule for training and security clearance needs to be expedited with greater emphasis on online training and assessment, together with mutual recognition by authorities of security training and employee background records. The association has also recommended standardisation of ground operations via the IATA Ground Operations Manual which will promote flexibility in terms of relocation, reassignment and recruitment. Additionally, the adoption of new technologies and automated processes should create diverse job opportunities and career paths that will attract a new generation of talent.
“An industry-wide approach to lay the foundations for more efficient talent recruitment, onboarding and retention will pay big benefits in terms of efficiency for all concerned. The cornerstone is the standardization that can be achieved with the adoption of the IGOM. Its global implementation will have a huge and positive impact in all aspects of ground handling, including talent management. The potential is to shift working in the sector from having a job to developing a career,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for the Operations, Safety and Security.
