Boeing Company and Aviation and Aerospace Development Foundation (AADF) have collaborated with Spring Fountain to organise a conference as part of efforts to address gaps in aviation, aerospace education and infrastructure in Nigeria.
The event which holds in Lagos on June 5, 2017 seeks to provide a veritable platform through which the entire spectrum of the industry will be reviewed and addressed particularly with regard to issues bordering on aviation education and aerospace education infrastructure in Nigeria.
Speaking in Lagos, AADF director Mr. Kayode Ariwodola, said in a statement` issued in Lagos that the conference would also to address issues of concern in Nigeria’s aviation industry and the need to review extant education policy in Nigeria would also be addressed.
“The conference will offer a veritable platform to redefine the aviation narrative navigating around the Nigerian education policy and its many gaps as they affect aviation curriculum development and content; the provision of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) approved training organizations, the strategic plan of Association of African Training Organisations and a comparison with the Indian aviation policy.
“The conference will also examine existing aviation policy with the objective of seeking clarity on Nigerian Aviation Education Policy to drive the present and future participation of Nigerians in the local and global aviation industry.
“The conference will provide a platform for industry players to review the status of the aviation education infrastructure in Nigeria and the adequacy of the existing training infrastructure, equipment to produce Nigerians that can compete in the global aviation industry.
“The conference will provide another window for various stakeholders to carry out gap analysis of the extant aviation education policy required for Nigeria to deliver a world class aviation industry and the he need to transform and sustain the future of the Nigerian and African aviation industry.
“It shall also seek to create dialogue for experience sharing by policy makers in aviation and education policymakers, operators, airline operators and entrepreneurs.
“It shall also serve as a rallying point for the commencement of a catch them young programme for aviation,” he added
Also speaking, Mrs. Tokunbo Fagbemi of Spring Fountain said the forum could not have been convened at a better time given the 2016 Boeing pilot and technical outlook.
“The respected industry forecast of personnel demand, projects that 617,000 new commercial airline pilots, 679,000 new maintenance technicians and 814, 000 new cabin crew will be needed to fly and maintain the world fleet over the next 20 years,” she said.
To meet the demand, she said it would require innovative solutions focused on educational outreach and career pipeline programmes.
“To inspire the next generation of pilots, technicians, and cabin crew, new technologies, devices and training methods will be needed to meet a wide range of learning styles.
“The growing diversity of aviation personnel will also require instructors to have cross-cultural and cross-generational skills to engage tomorrow’s workforce.
“Although Asia Pacific remains the region with the highest overall demand, there has been a significant increase in the expected number of skilled resources required in other parts of the world.
“New market opportunities, such as the opening of Cuba for the North American market and increased intra-Europe travel for the European market, have strengthened demand,” said Fagbemi
