Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) is on an unprecedented Career Awareness Road Show Campaign, targeting high school learners currently studying mathematics and science, across Johannesburg, West Rand, Tembisa and the East Rand.
ATNS will visit the Mandisa Shiceka Secondary School in Kagiso 2, Mogale City. In last year’s matric results, the school achieved a remarkable 79% overall matric pass rate, despite the negative press it received with regard to learner conduct.
The Thutolore Secondary School in Meadowlands Zone 1, Soweto, will also be visited.
The campaign started on 11th April and will end on 11th May 2012. A total of 28 high schools will be visited and approximately 3,300 learners will be advised on careers in air traffic management and air traffic control (ATC), as well as the bursaries available at ATNS.
The current skill shortage plaguing South Africa is challenging, while economic growth affects every industry in all sectors of the economy, including aviation.
The skills required by employees in the aviation industry have become progressively more sophisticated. It is a social and a business strategic imperative to ensure that previously disadvantaged individuals, not only join the mainstream economy, but contribute to it by being gainfully employed.
Even after obtaining good marks in mathematics and science in Grade 12, learners do not always have a career choice. An intervention of this nature, such as the Career Awareness Road Show Campaign, is therefore necessary.
The main aim of this month-long campaign is to promote and foster enthusiasm in aviation, to the specially gifted learners from historically disadvantaged backgrounds.