Becoming the Best at our Chosen Profession: Renewed Energy with a Training Focus

The NATCA Safety & Technology Leadership Council and the National Safety Committee members concluded their meeting this week, returning home with renewed focus and passion for one important safety topic: training.

“The purpose behind this effort is to help our members understand that training is something that continues throughout our entire career,” said National Training Representative Tom Adcock. “Whether it is new procedures, new equipment, or new rules, training is a part of a continuous self-improvement process, from the time we start as a developmental, to the time we retire. We should always be looking for ways to improve our performance as a workforce to make sure we are always operating at peak levels whenever we plug in.”

With the renewed focus on the importance of training for the members, the National Safety Committee unveiled a new logo and slogan for Communicating For Safety (CFS) 2019, Sept. 16-18 at Bally’s Las Vegas. “Every Day is a Training Day” reflects the ongoing effort to change the way the workforce perceives training.

“To a large degree, training has always been seen as punitive and for good reason: the FAA used training in a punitive manner,” National Safety Committee Chairman Steve Hansen said. “Even though those days are over, and have been over for years, the perception for many still exists.”

“Pilots embrace training on a daily basis, and we as aviation safety professionals need to do the same,” said President Paul Rinaldi. “We have to combat complacency to continue to be 100 percent, 100 percent of the time.”

Hansen and the other members of the CFS Planning Committee are accepting the challenge with this year’s CFS to confront the status quo and emphasize the importance of training. They are also working to challenge the membership to pursue professional development throughout their aviation career. The committee is hoping the workforce embraces a willingness to learn daily.

“Professional athletes train in order to be the best they can be at their chosen profession. We should strive to do the same, taking every opportunity to be the best at our chosen profession,” said Hansen. “One simple way is by learning from mistakes that are made and safety trends in the system. This is a foundational approach to ensure the U.S. maintains its position as the safest aviation system in the world.”

Speaking more on CFS, Hansen said that attending is vital to anyone who works in the aviation industry. The Committee has worked to provide a focus on the importance of training, but there will also be new and relevant topics. “We are always working to improve the conference by listening to suggestions from previous year’s attendees,” he said.

Registration for CFS opens on April 16. Visit the CFS website for more information and a recap from previous CFS events.