AviAssist has announced the launch of a new product for Africa’s ground handling industry at Aviation Africa 2022. The new online course on Aeronautical Knowledge for Ground Handling will help address one of the main threats to safety that IATA has identified.
“We are privileged to have worked with AviAssist to develop this course”, explained NAC2000 managing director Jonathan Lewis at Aviation Africa. NAC2000 is the only IATA (ISAGO)-certified ground handler in Zambia. “It is difficult and expensive to continuously train new staff members at both operational and mid-management levels. Many skilled employees have left the industry and are not coming back. Recruiting, training and accrediting new staff can take up to six months. So, it is critical that we retain current staff and find more efficient ways of on-boarding new personnel. This course takes away some of the pain for us of on-boarding new staff and will help us retain staff too”.
The blended learning course consists of curated videos that are watched on demand over a two-week period. That is combined with assessor-led live sessions in which participants are assessed on their knowledge. It provides an appreciation of the risks and safety components related to the daily working environment at the airport. The course modules include human factors, dangerous goods, airside safety, container and pallet inspection, and aircraft performance with weight and balance.
The course assists employers with an affordable induction training, while motivating staff and giving them both an outline for further professional development opportunities. It was developed by industry experts from the Netherlands and Zambia and tested by new and experience ground handling staff in four African countries. The first intake of the course is scheduled for November 1.
