Justification and development of competencies to transform a collegiate aviation flight program

Background

The aviation industry is facing a substantial shortage of pilots. Per the International Civil Aviation Organization, it is projected airlines will need 350,000 pilots globally.

Aims

Due to the demand of pilots, most of the conversations are focused on quantity rather than quality of the workforce. Educators and researchers in several industries have advocated competency-based education in aviation for decades.

Method

Members of the research team documented the consensus decision-making process which determined which competencies would be incorporated into the flight program.

Results

Six competencies were selected for the hybrid competency-based education model. Teamwork, decision-making, communication, resilience, leadership, and technical excellence were extensively defined for the aviation program.

Discussion/Conclusion

Shifting toward a hybrid competency-based education model is challenging within a large flight program. However, the members of the research team believe the transformation process will improve program outcomes. Next steps include assessment plan development and data collection.