With just a mere 90 Air Traffic Controllers managing Uganda’s Airspace, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has reiterated the need to increase the staffing levels in Air Traffic control so as to be at par with the growing aviation industry.
Speaking at the Uganda Air Traffic Controllers Association (UGATCA) day celebrations that were held at the Old Kampala S.S grounds on Friday, UCAA Deputy Director-General Fred Bamwesigye disclosed that Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has tried to interest Ugandans especially school students to study aviation-related courses so as to get staff who can fill the current manpower shortage in the aviation sector.
We need more staff including Air Traffic control officers that are the base of Uganda’s Civil Aviation Authority. I want to call upon the young people (students) to pick interest in pursuing aviation courses because there are still vacancies to fill but also the aviation industry is growing and we (UCAA) will soon need many other professionals of which Air Traffic Control is just one area. Therefore the sky is the limit to students, teachers, and parents and when one is serious and committed, they will obviously get jobs in the noble Aviation professions, reiterated Bamwesigye.
Bamwesigye added
You (students) have to tap the opportunities in aviation when they still exist. We need more staff and there are still a lot of chances that we can get young people to be employed in the various fields in the aviation industry including Air Traffic control. We (UCAA) are targeting Ugandans mainly the young people so that they can be sensitized about the aviation sector. Air Traffic Control like all other noble aviation professions requires seriousness, consistency, and commitment.
Bamwesigye congratulated the gallant members of the Uganda Air Traffic Controllers Association (UGATCA) and pledged continuous support to the association. Bamwesigye also noted that Air Traffic controllers recognize to achieve their mission of Together Safe Skies, they have to do it with everybody.
The UCAA Director Air Navigation Services (DANS), Eng. Richard Ruhesi, thanked the members of the Uganda Air Traffic Controllers Association (UGATCA) for encouraging and inspiring as many students as possible into the Air Traffic Management profession.
According to statistics, there is a shortage of Air Traffic control officers and by 2026; half a million professionals will be required to join Air Traffic Control profession. We have a very big shortage regarding the ladies employed as the Air Traffic officers and in Uganda, we have got only 10 ladies qualified as Air Traffic Control officers, eight are civilians and two are from the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF). We want to encourage students to pick interest in Aviation and learn as much as possible, Eng. Ruhesi revealed.
The requirements to qualify as an Air Traffic Control Officer are very complicated, it is a stressing job at times but it’s also a normal job and the standard of recruitment is very high. General knowledge is applicable but later on, specific subjects are required namely physics, Geography and Mathematics. One of the main criteria we look at in recruiting Air Traffic Controllers is the Aptitude test. The major attributes of Air Traffic Controllers is that they listen attentively and secondly they speak very clearly and that is part of their job, added Eng. Ruhesi.
Meanwhile, Tonny Sekubunge, the Uganda Air Traffic Controllers Association President (UGATCA) disclosed that Uganda has a total of 90 Air Traffic Control Officers and worldwide, they are about 80,000 and about 150,000 Air Traffic Control Officers are needed to cover the current shortage.
The Uganda Air Traffic Controller’s day celebrations commenced with Air Traffic Controllers together with the Uganda Peoples Defence Airforce (UPDAF) Band and Old Kampala S.S students marching from Uganda House to Old Kampala Secondary School to create awareness about the Air Traffic Controllers Profession. Other activities included a blood donation drive and a football match between Air Traffic Controllers and Old Kampala S.S students. UCAA Director Air Navigation Services (DANS), Eng. Richard Ruhesi led the Air Traffic Controllers in painting the Old Kampala Secondary School Basket Ball Court.
