The University of the Witwatersrand School for Economic and Business Sciences, conferred Aeronautical Management Development Programme (AMDP) Certificates to nineteen (19) Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) employees, at a special graduation ceremony held today at the ATNS Aviation Training Academy, near OR Tambo International Airport.
This programme, which carries an NQF Level 7 rating, started in March and ended in October 2014.
ATNS Board chairman Mpho Mamashela said the board values the development of women within the organisation.
"We are proud to have this initiative and we’re looking forward to reaping the resultant rewards," Mamashela concluded.
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. In 2013, a total of 13 female staff successfully completed the programme.
Guest speaker and Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) CEO Pearl Munthali said the empowerment of women is not the displacement of men in society but ‘the realisation that women are the untapped resource a talent if well harvested – that will benefit the country’.
Similar to any other leading and competitive organization, ATNS wants to attract, develop and retain skilled women.
"We want to see you grow career-wise and be beacons of hope to all young girls around the country," said ATNS CEO Thabani Mthiyane.
Graduates Ouma Selebogo said she was willing and eager to share the knowledge acquired.
Young women aged between the ages of 18 and 35, may register their CVs to apply for various ATNS bursaries, to become air traffic services officers, air traffic control officers and aeronautical information management officers positions.
Closing date is 23 March 2015.