Center: Ms Brenda Mashika (Grey Suite), ATNS Senior Manager: Projects and Ms Mpho Lecoge (White Suite), ATNS Executive: Human Capital, are flanked by ATNS Women Staff members, who include engineers, technicians, IT Specialists and Personal Assistants.
At a special graduation ceremony,13 female employees from the Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) were presented with the inaugural Aviation Management Development certificate. This qualification, which carries a NGF level 7 rating, is the first of its kind in the African continent and was given to the ATNS employees by the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) School for Economic and Business Sciences. Dr Tim Hutton, the Head of Business Development at Wits Enterprise, says: “This is a groundbreaking programme and is a first step in taking South Africa and the rest of Africa to another level – in terms of aviation innovation.” Zuki Sgelem, an engineering technician based at the OR Tambo International Airport ATNS Technical Support Centre, said the course was challenging. “Having worked for ATNS for 15years, it took me out of my comfort zone”. The ATNS Women’s Development Programme (WDP) aims to provide a platform for women employees – with no formal qualifications in aviation – to improve their skills, knowledge and competencies. This programme is part of the wider ATNS Leadership and Development Programme that has been tailored for all ATNS employees who exhibit special talents and who show clear growth potential in their areas of work.
ATNS, in terms of its Employment Equity Policy, took a strategic decision in August 2011 to accelerate the development of women within the organisation and to contribute to a marked degree such development in the aviation industry as a whole. The developmental scope includes, but is not limited to, academic empowerment, skills development, coaching and mentoring.
By developing women in this way, ATNS is determined to prove that careers in aviation are not gender-specific. Wits is considering ATNS’s ambitious recommendation for a possible Aviation Senior Management Development Programme (SMDP).
