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Creating a diverse and inclusive industry
Air traffic management performance can be enhanced if the industry accelerates the pace of change in diversity, equity and inclusion.
ATM Performance & Diversity
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“An inclusive work environment where every individual can thrive will also contribute to the industry’s sustainable growth. Diversity won’t be solved by one person doing one thing, but by enough people doing better things.”

The positive news is that ATM is not starting from ground zero and, in fact, has precedent for increasing its diversity and inclusion.

In its early days, aviation was dominated by ex-military, for example, but that bias has disappeared and there is a far greater degree of variety in workforce background. Mullan further notes that “historically, the pathways into the industry and jobs available were excellent at enabling social mobility and that is something of which the industry can be proud.

“And we have a welcoming leadership and industry,” he adds. “There is a platform here, but we need to keep pushing the boundaries. We must prepare for the next generation, which means understanding their barriers to inclusion, eradicating biases in recruitment and development and giving everyone the best possible opportunity.”

CANSO has an important to play too, harnessing best practices that already exist at a local or member level and translating them to the global stage. Ideas to improve DEI are being promoted by individual organisations, but CANSO can give power to DEI’s global voice and a coordinated platform for harmonised engagement.

“CANSO and its members are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce to drive innovation, safety and growth,” says Mullan. “Diversity will give the industry enhanced creativity, equity, and a stronger ability to serve the industry effectively.

Steps to success

Mullan believes the topic must first be tackled qualitatively rather than quantitatively.  “This is not about just setting targets,” he says. “I don’t think we have a good enough understanding of what they can look like yet. The real need is meaningful action.”

Mullan suggests there are five steps critical to success. The first is ensuring everybody has an opportunity to enter and progress in air traffic management (ATM). Improving access and removing barriers to the incredible opportunities in the industry will be a marker of success.

Creating equity in opportunity is also a necessary approach given the workforce shortage and loss of experience following the pandemic. This is especially pertinent given that ATM can struggle to attract talent – suffering from a lack of visibility, fixed locations, shift work and little flexibility in working conditions, all of which deter the next generation.

In short, staff numbers are down, and the pipeline of future talent is small. Looking ahead to the skies of 2045, one of the building blocks for the Complete Air Traffic System (CATS) vision is a more diverse range of highly skilled talent. And those skills may be very different from the ones that drive ATM today, meaning the industry will need a diverse workforce.

Creating the right workplace culture will help in this regard and is the next step to success. Ensuring that the office is a safe space where diversity and the ability to voice an opinion is respected can make a big difference. The US Federal Aviation Administration, for example, now refers to NOTAMs as Notices to Air Missions rather than Notices to Airmen. It is an example of how cultural transformation can begin with the smallest change.

The third step is embracing the full scope of diversity, from gender through to neurodiversity – different brain functionality and behavioural traits. “ATM is a dynamic industry, and future airspace is evolving,” explains Mullan. “We need different outlooks and different ways of thinking and deriving solutions.”

Next up is the speed of change. If current trends in ATM diversity continue, ICAO estimates that it would take approximately 450 years to achieve gender parity. Clearly, considerable acceleration is required.

Finally, Mullan stresses the need for meaningful action beyond workgroups, discussions, forums and the like. He is determined for the WG to leave its imprint in the form of practical implementations and progress.

“We can’t consider anything we do as a success until we have concrete actions and clear outcomes that we can point to,” Mullan confirms.

Following the CANSO Resolution on DEI at its AGM in June 2024, a new workgroup (WG) has been set up to tackle the subject and a work plan is being devised for 2025.

Creating a diverse and inclusive industry

“Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) must be a priority,” says Conor Mullan, Managing Director, Think Research and DEI Champion on the CANSO Executive Committee. “We have a willingness for change, but we must now put in the time, effort and money to make DEI a reality.”

Creating a diverse and inclusive industry
Air traffic management performance can be enhanced if the industry accelerates the pace of change in diversity, equity and inclusion.
READ THE ARTICLE
ATM Performance & Diversity

“An inclusive work environment where every individual can thrive will also contribute to the industry’s sustainable growth. Diversity won’t be solved by one person doing one thing, but by enough people doing better things.”

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The positive news is that ATM is not starting from ground zero and, in fact, has precedent for increasing its diversity and inclusion.

In its early days, aviation was dominated by ex-military, for example, but that bias has disappeared and there is a far greater degree of variety in workforce background. Mullan further notes that “historically, the pathways into the industry and jobs available were excellent at enabling social mobility and that is something of which the industry can be proud.

“And we have a welcoming leadership and industry,” he adds. “There is a platform here, but we need to keep pushing the boundaries. We must prepare for the next generation, which means understanding their barriers to inclusion, eradicating biases in recruitment and development and giving everyone the best possible opportunity.”

CANSO has an important to play too, harnessing best practices that already exist at a local or member level and translating them to the global stage. Ideas to improve DEI are being promoted by individual organisations, but CANSO can give power to DEI’s global voice and a coordinated platform for harmonised engagement.

“CANSO and its members are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce to drive innovation, safety and growth,” says Mullan. “Diversity will give the industry enhanced creativity, equity, and a stronger ability to serve the industry effectively.

Global Platform

Mullan believes the topic must first be tackled qualitatively rather than quantitatively.  “This is not about just setting targets,” he says. “I don’t think we have a good enough understanding of what they can look like yet. The real need is meaningful action.”

Mullan suggests there are five steps critical to success. The first is ensuring everybody has an opportunity to enter and progress in air traffic management (ATM). Improving access and removing barriers to the incredible opportunities in the industry will be a marker of success.

Creating equity in opportunity is also a necessary approach given the workforce shortage and loss of experience following the pandemic. This is especially pertinent given that ATM can struggle to attract talent – suffering from a lack of visibility, fixed locations, shift work and little flexibility in working conditions, all of which deter the next generation.

In short, staff numbers are down, and the pipeline of future talent is small. Looking ahead to the skies of 2045, one of the building blocks for the Complete Air Traffic System (CATS) vision is a more diverse range of highly skilled talent. And those skills may be very different from the ones that drive ATM today, meaning the industry will need a diverse workforce.

Creating the right workplace culture will help in this regard and is the next step to success. Ensuring that the office is a safe space where diversity and the ability to voice an opinion is respected can make a big difference. The US Federal Aviation Administration, for example, now refers to NOTAMs as Notices to Air Missions rather than Notices to Airmen. It is an example of how cultural transformation can begin with the smallest change.

The third step is embracing the full scope of diversity, from gender through to neurodiversity – different brain functionality and behavioural traits. “ATM is a dynamic industry, and future airspace is evolving,” explains Mullan. “We need different outlooks and different ways of thinking and deriving solutions.”

Next up is the speed of change. If current trends in ATM diversity continue, ICAO estimates that it would take approximately 450 years to achieve gender parity. Clearly, considerable acceleration is required.

Finally, Mullan stresses the need for meaningful action beyond workgroups, discussions, forums and the like. He is determined for the WG to leave its imprint in the form of practical implementations and progress.

“We can’t consider anything we do as a success until we have concrete actions and clear outcomes that we can point to,” Mullan confirms.

Steps to success

Following the CANSO Resolution on DEI at its AGM in June 2024, a new workgroup (WG) has been set up to tackle the subject and a work plan is being devised for 2025.

“Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) must be a priority,” says Conor Mullan, Managing Director, Think Research and DEI Champion on the CANSO Executive Committee. “We have a willingness for change, but we must now put in the time, effort and money to make DEI a reality.”

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