Shortage of Qualified and Well-Trained Aviation Professionals - Paper Example

Despite the continued growth being exhibited by the global aviation industry, shortage of qualified and well-trained aviation professionals and workers is a key management concern that has made steady profitability in the aviation industry elusive. With the increased awareness that most of the elder workforce generations are retiring and considering the changing demographic scene in the U.S., an inadequacy in certified and trained aviation personnel is looming. It has been projected that by 2025, there will be in excess of one million job opportunities in the aviation industry, with most of these openings lacking qualified professionals and technicians to fill.

The concept of human factors in aviation management has been subject to greater emphasis since the knowledgeability, dedication and flexibility of aviators is fundamental to guaranteeing safety and efficiency in aviation operations, and commercial success. Human factors are connected to management of air traffic and flight operations. These aviators include technical staff such as pilots and engineers, and professionals such as financial analysts, accountants and air hostesses. The increasing gap between demand and availability of human capital in the aviation industry is expected to continue derailing efforts by major airlines in the U.S. to increase or maintain constant profit margins, enhance safety in flight operations and provide premium services to passengers. It is vital to comprehend how human capital can be most effectively amalgamated with technological advancements in aviation in order to drive the planning and designing of sufficient training programs to increase availability of qualified aviation personnel and better their performance. The system theory comes into play whereby differences in training programs and aviation technologies employed by various airlines have resulted in sharp divisions in the airline services and markets. This can be exemplified, for instance, by the numerous actors and operation control centers in the European skyline. The system theory calls for aviation managers to evaluate events as they unfold in the work areas. Failure to adequately meet the training and remuneration of aviators has forced air traffic management to adopt a national nature due to susceptibility of airlines to vendor lobbying, boycotts and workers strikes. This vulnerability is further heightened by the fact that very few trainees can be called upon to carry on flight management tasks in the event that senior staff members are embroiled in recurrent tussles with their employers. Therefore, it has become extremely challenging for aviation managers to organize operational programs collectively, especially in a fragmented market or industry that requires coordination of the various airlines involved. This fragmentation has also made it challenging for affected airlines to attain the required scale to rival international airlines across Europe, America and Asia. Most passengers take flights to visit intended destinations for specific purposes. Coordination of marketing and tourism by airlines has been affected by the protectionism of state carriers by their respective countries, with aviators in each carrier being forced to adopt different working regimes to enhance competitiveness. This has further derailed the design of common training policies that can bring forth professionals suited to work in any airline. Most of these national carriers prioritize on employing their citizens, and even though their staff members can learn other languages and cultures, market fragmentation will be inevitable especially if their competitors are deemed by passengers to offer superior flight services.

With the above problem, there is need for the aviation industry to essentially change its leadership vision and enforce staffing structures that supplant the current perception. For instance, any report of personnel shortage, lower proportion of minority and women aviators should be countered by airshows, exhibitions, sending aviators to offer professional talks to trainees that will help the students in career development. The remuneration packages for aviators should also prove worthwhile for high school graduates who would wish to enroll in aviation degree programs, in that the anticipated salaries should surpass the learning costs.

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