‘Polish Airports’ State Enterprise: The Aviation and Airport Education Program is a new approach to educating specialists and industry managers

Supporting the development of specialized aviation and airport staff and adapting them to the dynamically changing challenges facing this branch of transport. These are the main assumptions of the Aviation and Airport Education Program (AAEP). An international conference inaugurating the project was held in Warsaw today. It was hosted by the ‘Polish Airports’ State Enterprise.

The initiative is based on creating conditions for long-term cooperation between government and aviation industry representatives and the education sector. During the conference, the current needs of aviation and the related challenges for the education of future personnel were discussed. The meeting was attended by representatives of ministries and state institutions, CEOs, directors and employees of the largest aviation companies, regional airports, airports forming the V4+ Airports association, representatives of the International Airport Council (ACI World) and institutions accredited by ACI and ICAO. The conference was an opportunity to present the vision and goal of the program as well as consult the pre-planned activities.

“We cannot afford to wait with our arms folded. The reality is changing before our eyes – says Stanisław Wojtera, CEO of the ‘Polish Airports’ State Enterprise – “That is why we are creating a program that will comprehensively adapt our industry to the new realities and build a solid base. It cannot be achieved without good professionals.”

The most important assumption of the Aviation and Airport Education Program is to provide qualified staff at every level of competence – from ground handling agents, through aircraft mechanics, to junior, middle and top-level managers.

“We can see that the aviation industry will need a large number of new employees within a few years. This is an opportunity for many young Poles who think about their future and would like to connect it with airports” – says Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Marcin Horała – “There will be a lot of well-paid and attractive jobs in this industry. It is also a chance to appear in the international environment.”

The program is to focus on three elements – an inventory of the current state of aviation and airport education, industry integration and filling the diagnosed competence gaps by building development paths. AAEP assumes close cooperation – schools and universities will be able to count on the substantive assistance of specialists, and industry companies will provide graduates with clearly defined paths of professional development. It is extremely important, because one of the most important staffing problems in modern aviation is the failure to adapt the education system to market requirements.

– “‘Polish Airports’ State Enterprise wants to take care of the staff, support the development of aviation-related education, as well as share knowledge and practical skills. Thanks to the Aviation and Airport Education Program, new employees will be

able to enter the labor market more consciously” – says Paweł Kranc, director of the ‘Polish Airports’ State Enterprise Management Board Office.

The Aviation and Airport Education Program is designed for many years. Its authors hope that thanks to this initiative, in the next two decades, it will be possible to provide qualified employees in the air transport sector for the national carrier, regional airports and one of the largest Polish investments – the Solidarity Transport Hub.