The eyes that recognise the busy training happening in the premises of Sri Lanka Airport & Aviation Academy (SLAAA), located facing the Kandawala Lake in Ratmalana, can see some little ones running here and there during their school vacations. Not only the professionals but also the kids are receiving training at this government-owned, prestigious aviation training academy. The SLAAA is the training institution operated by Airport & Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Pvt) Ltd. (AASL), a fully state-owned company vested with the responsibility of managing all civil airports in Sri Lanka and providing air navigation services within Colombo, Flight Information Region (FIR).

At present, the SLAAA conducts training focusing the AASL employees in Air Traffic Control, Aeronautical Communications, Air Traffic Safety Electronics, Aeronautical Information Management, Airport Security, Airport Fire Services and Airport Management all of which belong to the forte of Airport & Aviation Services. The entire faculty of the SLAAA comprises qualified personnel with vast experience in their respective fields. While the chief instructors are permanent to SLAAA, visiting instructors are drawn from the company’s operations who have years of experience in their trades and from the universities, airlines and other key players in the industry.

Holding membership in the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s TRAINAIR PLUS programme since 2014 and recognising as the only Approved Training Organisation (ATO) in Sri Lanka for providing ATC training by the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka are a few indications of the high standards the SLAAA is maintaining in the provision of civil aviation training. The demand for aviation professionals is growing fast. The leading aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, forecasts a need for 2.1 million aviation professionals worldwide over the next 20 years. SLAAA is supporting that demand and rendering training services not only to the AASL staff but to the general public and other countries.

Aviation professionals from Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nigeria, Australia, Malaysia, Cape Verde, Barbados and Djibouti are getting training services from SLAAA. SLAAA is conducting short courses for young schoolchildren during their school vacation. The young enthusiastic students in age groups from 5 to 11 years and 12 to 15 years are following the Aviation for Youngsters and Aviation for Teenagers holiday courses to enhance their knowledge of aviation and get experience from field visits. SLAAA is about to start the 3-month Foundation in Aviation Management course targeting the ones with London or Local O/L qualifications. Once that is completed, they are qualified to follow the Diploma in Aviation Management programme.

Students who have completed local or London A/L can directly join the Diploma programme. After completing the diploma successfully, they will be granted exemptions for the first year of the Bachelor of Aviation Management degree offered by Massey University, New Zealand. This recognition of the Diploma Programme for credit transfer was initiated aiming to facilitate higher academic progression for the students. The completion of the degree creates the pathway for the students to earn a three-year work visa in New Zealand and by completing another year in New Zealand they can apply for the PR. The students who do not want to continue with Massey University after obtaining the foundation or diploma in Aviation will have better chances of finding aviation-related jobs locally and internationally with the well-recognised certificates issued by SLAAA.