How Higher Education Can Better Serve the Airline Indu

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Published on 2014/03/18

How Higher Education

Can Better Serve the
Airline Industry
John MacDonald | Adjunct Instructor, Fox Valley
Technical College
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 The needs of the airline industry have
changed, but higher education
institutions have not kept up.

The partnership between higher education

and airlines is nothing new, but the reality
of change and relevant approaches is
forcing us to revisit this relationship.

Higher education has a role in preparing

ground, cargo, airline customer service
representatives and mechanics to perform
their tasks. In many cases, traditional
universities and colleges are delivering
training programs that have experienced
few-to-no updates since the 1970s.[1]

The Traditional Problems with Training

through Universities

While airline partners typically have a

hand in the curriculum development of
these programs, institutions range widely
in their program delivery methods. The
delivery and development has been
focused on those who work in and around
closed door-based offices and not in the
real environment. However, as increasing
numbers of institutions are expanding their
training offerings to appeal to the airline
industry, very few — with the exception of
schools such as Embry Riddle Aeronautical
University — have deeply researched and
understood the airlines in order to improve
their training.[2] Many are using retired
industry instructors and professors who
have worked in or around the industry.
They do not always deliver information or
teach in ways that are useful for the
modern student. What happens, then, is we
have many credentialed graduates who
struggle to use the information or
knowledge they have gained from their
education.

Technical Colleges Have a New Approach

Technical colleges are also entering the

game, but they are taking a different
approach than their larger university
counterparts. The college training
curriculum teaches the standard
information, but also conflict resolution,
customer service and how to use gained
skills in a more innovative and positive
manner. This is critical in the modern
airline industry, where airlines are focused
on homeland security and the protection
of the crews working in and around
airports.

Curriculum developers and instructors are

spending time in the environments their
students are and will be working in to get a
feel for their actual learning needs. They
collaborate with industry managers to find
areas that management considers weak or
needing additional development. They also
work with the governing bodies and seek
out testing, licensing and continuing
education needs that are incorporated
progressively into the training.

Training for the airline industry is in flux.

Higher education is not only operating on
what students need today, but trying to
provide knowledge airline industry workers
will need five to 10 years down the road.
Additionally, in developing these
programs, administrators and educators
are changing the delivery mechanisms,
classroom se!ings and offering that
element of constant change into daily
learning.

Airline Industry Employees are Highly

Mobile

In some cases, airlines have offered

significant incentives to employees to stay
with the company for specified periods of
time; these employees are in great
demand and the variation from carrier to
carrier in the airline industry is slim.
Demand for tuition reimbursement and
training is prevalent across all positions in
the airline industry.[2] Mechanics are also
more mobile than ever before. They are
working with highly complex technologies
while gaining access to liberal education,
creating opportunities for a more
diversely-educated mechanic to move into
management from the shop floor. In this
world, the technical colleges and forward-
thinking universities such as Embry Riddle
have taken the lead in the establishment
and implementation of new and enhanced
processes.

Conclusion

Ultimately, higher education needs a

complete overhaul for the aviation world.
This is especially true for because of the
complex and direct need for change,
education and increased knowledge
capacity. We need to identify and inject
new blood into the curriculum and delivery
of their required processes. Training should
be updated annually, with larger revisions
spanning no more than five years because
of the need to supply graduates with
highly-relevant and up-to-date training
and skills that keep their focus progressive
and engaged.

––––

References
[1] Menees, J. L. (2007). New graduate joins
passenger airline: A study of aircraft
mechanic certification. (Order No.
3258364, Capella University). ProQuest
Dissertations and Theses, , 152. Retrieved
from
h!p://search.proquest.com/docview/304698245?
accountid=14872. (304698245).

[2] Ibid

[3] Fedor, L., & Writer, S. (2006, Apr 18).

Mesaba bills ex-pilots for training costs ;
the bankrupt airline is trying to recover
training costs from pilots who left before
being laid off. the pilots union is
outraged. Star Tribune. Retrieved from
h!p://search.proquest.com/docview/427791866?
accountid=14872
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Readers Comments

Vic Thomas Reply

2014/03/19 at 10:05 am

I admit I’m no expert on training for the

aviation industry. This article is fascinating in
that it shows how industry sometimes views
higher education.

It demonstrates the need for institutions to

constantly work with their industry partners to
develop training that is both useful and relevant
for students.
 John MacDonald Reply
2014/03/19 at 9:36 pm

Vic,

Thanks for the read-This is true because

higher education needs to work with their
partners. That being said they also need to
stay progressive in their curriculum
development and course offerings that
plan strategically up to ten years. This
combination will allow a deeper avenue of
training and also cover industry changes.

Charlene L Reply
2014/03/19 at 4:35 pm

I think the story of aviation training needing

innovation could be about any industry that uses
higher education institutions for continuing
education.

The curriculum for any industry becomes stale

when the same two or three institutions
dominate the training programs for years on
end. However, with the advent of online
education, and entrance of private providers, we
will begin to see changes to existing training — a
good development for all.

John MacDonald Reply

2014/03/19 at 9:37 pm

Charlene,
 Thanks for reading and you are correct-the
stagnant offerings due to the availability
of courses is an issue. We need that
strategic planning in education that takes
the partnership interaction and helps
propel innovation not only in aviation but
for all industries.

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