The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have announced the joint launch of a range of air cargo focused programmes and courses.
The announcement follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the two organisations on 19 December 2019, establishing the platform for collaboration in the development of training courses.
TIACA Secretary General Vladimir Zubkov confirmed that SASI (Strategic Aviation Solutions International) would be a collaborator on the shared project.
“Stan Wraight [SASI President and CEO] and his team have become an integral part of this tripartite undertaking, and they will be the key partner for the implementation,” said Zubkov.
Wraight contributed an article to TIACA’s weekly bulletin outlining the group’s approach to the development and delivery of the new training initiative:
The first step in the process is to engage TIACA’s strategic learning and development partner – Strategic Aviation Solutions International (SASI) to create the first course.
Under the leadership of Lilian Tan, SASI’s Vice President and head of educational programmes, the first course, Safe Supply Chain, will cover safety and security issues in the air cargo supply chain.
In addition to Lithium batteries, the growing volume of e-Commerce shipments, estimated at 10 billion per year, has increased the risk of dangerous goods entering the air cargo supply chain. Thwarting this flow is essential for the safety of the employees of the carriers and handlers of the shipments.
Lilian is assisted by P. Balasubramanian (Associate of SASI). Bala who is well known to many in Africa, the Middle East and the sub-continent, will be the primary instructor.
This course will provide the entities in the air and mail cargo supply chain with the necessary knowledge and skills to work together effectively to ensure that cargo is handled appropriately in a safe & efficient manner within the ICAO’s regulatory framework. The course also addresses the ‘what causes’ and ‘why it could impact’ the safety of the supply chain through an understanding of the global market and supply chain trends. It is not a Dangerous Goods specialist course.
Upon completion of this course, the participants will be able to: recognize the economic impact of air cargo globally, analyse supply chain trends affecting the safety of the supply chain, describe the background and the need for safety through the supply chain, explain ICAO’s role and method of facilitating a safe supply chain, recognize the role of multiple stakeholders in ensuring a safe supply chain, identify various elements involved in the supply chain which would pose safety hazard, and identify and assess risks and apply mitigation methods.
The course will not just be a review of the technical procedures associated with making the worldwide air cargo logistics chain safe and secure. In fact, the first modules of the course review the state of the industry from an internal and external perspective. SASI believe that by presenting this perspective, all members of the logistics chain can readily understand their relationship and role in controlling the flow of dangerous goods.
The course is for all the stakeholders in the air cargo supply chain including online retailers and shippers, regulators, carriers, ground handling agents, and logistics service providers. Personnel who would benefit would be safety inspectors, safety and risk managers and senior supervisors and DG specialists.
The course will be a mix of lectures and in-class exercises based in part on case studies. A final examination will be given to test the participants on their understanding and application of the course contents.
The Safe Supply Chain course will be launched in April 2020 and ICAO will actively market it to its members. Likewise, TIACA members will be invited to attend the course.
TIACA and ICAO, with the technical and educational expertise of SASI are already starting to develop other courses and modules which address current and emerging issues faced by the worldwide air cargo industry.
Under the strategic relationship between TIACA and SASI, the highly successful Air Cargo Professional Development (ACPD) workshop will be marketed to TIACA members and the industry. This workshop will be offered from the second quarter of 2020 at locations around the world.
Announcements will appear in the TIACA Friday Flyer and on the TIACA website for the courses and workshops. Registrations can be completed on the website.
The ACPD Program is a three-and-a-half-day workshop tailored for air freight logistics professionals, facilitated by SASI’s experienced air cargo and supply chain practitioners, Stan Wraight, Charles Edwards and Lilian Tan.
This course is for airlines, airports, authorities responsible for air cargo, security officials, last mile service providers, logistics service providers, I.T. companies, financial institutions and anyone interested in air cargo.
The ACPD Program addresses the specific needs of the air freight industry, giving participants practical information and skills they would be able to use at work and succeed on a day-to-day basis, in addition to assessing the strategic environment.
Participants develop management and decision-making skills, including financial analysis, brand management, marketing, revenue management, and business ethics along with the critical leadership skills.
The workshops provide the perfect backdrop for raising questions and thoughts, creating the process of change required for industry development and growth.
2020 and beyond will advance the strategic collaboration between TIACA and SASI to develop that next generation of leaders as part of TIACA’s educational commitment to the air cargo industry. This will be an excellent platform for existing management to learn latest developments in the logistics supply chain and how we, as stakeholders, can innovate and transform the industry.
