On 1st October students of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia graduated from a two year intensive training programme to become the next generation of air traffic controllers.
The training programme was performed under the agreement between Entry Point North and the Ministry of Higher Education, meeting their special requirements.
The training took place at Entry Point North’s modern training facilities in Sweden, and was organised into two semesters of general English and aviation English training, followed by two semesters of initial ATC training. The initial ATC Training programme consisted of fully ICAO compliant courses comprising both theoretical and intensive hands-on training using state-of-the-art simulators. The curriculum encompassed basic, aerodrome, approach procedural and surveillance and other advanced aspects of air traffic management. Throughout the whole programme students were closely supervised and coached using Entry Point North’s comprehensive assessment process, leading to outstandingly good results for the group.
The ATC programme was executed in close cooperation with GACA and the Ministry of Higher Education, ensuring the students acquired the expected knowledge but also thrived living abroad and becoming accustomed to a different training methodology and not at least culture.
“It has been a privilege to train the future air traffic controllers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and seeing them grow, develop and acquire new important professional skills of an ATCO. During the two years we experienced strong support and great cooperation with GACA and Ministry of Higher Education. It has been an honour to work closely together, strengthening the bounds between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Sweden” says Anne Kathrine Jensen, CEO of Entry Point North.