JAA TO welcomes new Foundation Board Members
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Schiphol-Rijk, The Netherlands. 21 March 2023 – From its beginnings in the 1970s under the umbrella name of Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) to a prolific, world-leading training centre of excellence, JAA TO’s objective has always been harmonising the cooperative EU regulatory air transport systems to achieve uniformly high standards of aviation safety. Despite the sector’s unprecedented challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (since the 2020s), the vision is still the same – for a safer, more secure and sustainable aviation industry.
Accelerated by e-learning and digital education, JAA TO built a robust combined system of traditional classroom, virtual classroom, and online training and training consultancy services to enable aviation professionals to perform their jobs to the world’s highest standards and procedures. Seeking to continuously expand offers to industry stakeholders and manage productive partnerships, JAA TO has been awarded and recognised by the most important institutions and organisations in the aviation sector globally.
In a post-COVID aviation world, safety and security challenges, and the growing demand for innovative training shape today's industry, leading the organisation to adapt and respond constantly. With new appointments to the organisation’s leadership, the JAA TO Foundation Board presents its latest members and highlights some key activities and plans.
JAA TO: Directors of the Board, a warm welcome to our two newly appointed Members, Dr. Koen Milis (DG Belgian CAA) and Ms. Ana Vieira da Mata (Board Member of ANAC). Both are familiar with JAA TO through their work with the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), but what makes the JAA TO a unique training and knowledge organisation?
Dr. Quaranta: JAA TO is dynamically involved in various activities, starting from training course development (Dutch national level to ICAO ITP level) and delivery to cooperation with international training academies, fostering strategic partnerships with high-level stakeholders, speaking at conferences, meetings and launching own training fora. The organisation’s status as a Dutch non-profit foundation with international character shapes its management and DNA likewise – focusing on equal opportunity, talent recruitment, and employee motivation and well-being for sustainable growth.
Mrs. Čizmarov: The history speaks volumes. The sector is gradually recovering and JAA TO is unfailingly present to support this restarting of operations. The JAA TO of today provides fundamental contributions to the consolidation of the aviation safety culture and understanding in Europe. This training leadership role transcends into other commitments for the aviation community too. For example, executing its pro-active role as Chair of the ICAO TRAINAIR Plus Steering Committee (TPSC), JAA TO effectively engages global partners in the facilitation of aviation regulatory training. Through its capacity-building activity, JAA TO has established itself as a career-long reference point for aviation professionals and organisations.
JAA TO: COVID-19, lockdown and the halt of global aviation as we know it struck the industry with unprecedented outcomes. Three years later, JAA TO enters its next phase of steady progress. In hindsight, what has characterised the organisation’s business viability and course of recovery?
Dr. Quaranta: The well-known, long-standing experience and expertise of JAA TO made an instant transfer of its high-quality portfolio to virtual classroom training only possible. This adaption came with its challenges but as training pioneer, JAA TO was able to innovate to meet aviation needs. This learning curve enabled the organisation to provide a robust virtual business working with latest technology trends that serve professionals to this day.
Mrs. Čizmarov: Powered by its brand name and quality promise to customers, the virtual classroom method was the only real alternative to traditional classroom training at that moment. It effectively covered vital skills enabling aviation professionals to do their jobs diligently during COVID-19. The aspiration and competence of delivering the highest quality courses in all teaching formats proved to be the crucial point in the JAA TO experience and secured the organisation’s survival during the pandemic.
Dr. Milis: Thinking with trainees and partners to accommodate them depending on the circumstances was, and still is to this day, a testament to the organisation’s character and great stakeholder management. The quality of the JAA TO can also be attributed to its quality in service.
Ms. Mata: The strategy was to build a sustainable virtual business that could expand the traditional capacity of the organisation. Through leadership and decision-making, JAA TO was able to create lasting e-learning designs adequate to the market.
JAA TO: ICAO forecasts a rapid recovery of air passenger demand in 2023 close to 2019 levels. What does this prognosis mean for training and capacity-building? What are JAA TO’s objectives in supporting the regulatory aviation community given these predictive events?
Ms. Mata: These welcoming signs of global recovery lift the industry one step closer to operating profitability. From an authority point of view, aviation regulation needs to be in sync with growing business operations. So, in order to sync implementation efforts with regulation, training will again play a huge role in smooth and sound operations. JAA TO continues what it does best – promoting and facilitating the understanding of existing and new aviation regulations to improve safety and security worldwide. Using its rich pool of instructors/SMEs and innovative approaches to training experiences, the organisation attracts the modern trainee who returns to the job knowledgeable and empowered.
Mrs. Čizmarov: The combination of JAA TO’s classroom, virtual and training consultancy solutions speak to a wide range of industry stakeholders and governing bodies that require compliance with and facilitation of latest regulatory standards and procedures demanded by their State’s Authority. The pandemic accelerated the digital transformation and JAA TO continues its momentum into the digital era when certain training disciplines like Security, Facilitation, Ground Operations, and Airworthiness regain priority. Further, JAA TO’s speciality is to pioneer regulatory training developments by advancing workshops on regulations that are not yet in force and anticipating trends thereof.
Dr. Milis: Given the promising outlook of the state of global air transport, aviation stakeholders are in need of updates to implement guidelines, procedures, SARPs etc. complying with authority policy. JAA TO is optimistic that the economic and efficient training of personnel is key to the harmonisation between theory and practice, regulation and implementation. Capacity-building marks an important pillar for aviation organisations dealing with complex regulatory frameworks, so JAA TO’s work advances professionals, personnel, organisations, methodologies, concepts and ideas. Via its fully established Course Development Unit (CDU), JAA TO is able to design and develop competency-based training jewels which is the core element for ensuring that successful trainees become competent to perform their job, with the proper knowledge, skills and attitudes.
Dr. Quaranta: JAA TO proudly continues to serve as leading training institution with global scope. It cooperates with other renowned training organisations, partners and higher aviation bodies to share experiences and good practices. As proactive thought leader and reference point for training harmonisation to ECAC Member States, it supports capacity-building in light of regulatory changes and ultimately serves the European aviation community. Also, JAA TO advocates for and fosters a safe aviation culture internationally through the development of training in other regions (JAA TO delivers training courses in all continents). Strengthening its brand and boosting recognition globally, the organisation completes ambitious assessments and accreditations for an ever-stronger network with the highest aviation bodies and relevant disciplines (IATA CBTA Dangerous Goods Training Center of Excellence, Dutch National Aviation Security Training Center, ICAO Platinum Training Centre of Excellence etc.).
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communications@jaato.com
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