In response to large-scale technological changes in aircraft construction, maintenance and shifts in the world market in terms of advancement, maintenance and logistics, employees will be forced to gain new skills. If the Dutch aviation industry is to remain competitive internationally, employees will need to gain proper qualifications through the necessary upgrading of skills and retraining. In addition, training will be needed for any new people recruited: an estimated 7,400 by 2018.
Training is valuable because, without a high-level skills profile at all levels of the job market, the position of Dutch aviation will weaken in relation to that of its foreign competitors. This, in turn, will have a detrimental effect on the economy and, thus, on jobs, as catalytic employment in the Netherlands reaps major benefits from the industry.
In recent years, the opportunities for companies to invest in the development of their employees have been limited because of very poor operating results due to the crisis. For example, many logistics companies have had to settle for offering their employees only the compulsory training that is necessary for them to do their jobs on the apron or in the hangar. We therefore need to focus on the (medium and) long term and identify training needs for an evolving job market.
Moreover, we need to get ready to work with new technological applications, new (computer) systems and innovative processes that will change the ways in which we have conducted business to date. With better skills, our employees will more easily be able to undertake other work or move to other employers in times of lower demand. This will make their employability more sustainable and improve their mobility.
The Measure proposed by the Action Plan: training new employees, upgrading the skills of, and retraining current and new employees.