SA faces aviation skills shortage

2009-04-15 18:13

Johannesburg - A worldwide skills shortage in the aviation industry may see qualified South Africans being snapped up internationally, the SA Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said on Wednesday.

This could lead to a skills shortage locally, said the organisation in a statement.

"The rate at which many of our country's highly skilled and experienced personnel are lured toward more lucrative jobs elsewhere in the world is alarming.

"It will not be long before our aviation industry feels the same effects that befell the medical and engineering industry not so long ago," said Captain Colin Jordaan, CEO of the CAA.

He said the number of young South Africans entering the industry would soon not be able to meet local and global demand. However, "the current national pool of skills and capacity is adequate to guarantee acceptable levels of safety", said Jordaan.

Between March 1, 2007 and February 29, 2008 a total of 5 146 pilot's licences were issued by the CAA.

Jordaan said this represented a 13% increase in the number of licences issued compared to the same period the year before, but a 5.5% decline from 2008 to 2009.

Student licences

There was an 81% increase in the number of student pilot's licences issued in the 2007/2008 period compared to the previous 12 months.

This grew by a further five percent in the 2008/2009 period.

This increase could be the result of a new regulation which allows anyone from the age of 16 onwards, who fulfils all the requirements, to obtain a student pilot licence.

Jordaan said the CAA was launching several initiatives to increase the number of skilled personnel in the industry.

However, it also needed more young people to choose careers in aviation.

"If ever there was a point when South Africa needed the services of its youth, that time is now," said Jordaan.

- SAPA