Training is motivational

The personnel fund established by Finavia in 2004 is the first of its kind in the public sector. The fund was set up to reward staff for the work they have carried out towards the success of Finavia.

Finavia pays a pre-agreed amount of profit bonuses into the fund that is owned and managed by the staff , which together with the return on investments are divided between the members each year. The members of the fund include all Finavia’s staff except for management. In 2006 about EUR 1,027 000 in bonuses was paid into the fund.

Finavia’s competence is being developed systematically and on the principle that competence furthers the achievement of the company’s goals. The definition of the professional areas of competence of Finavia’s field of operations continued in 2006. Finavia’s strategy and values form the starting point in this work. Finavia’s common areas of competence include management, finance, business operations, safety management, services and communication and interaction skills.

An electronic recruitment system was adopted at Finavia at the end of the year. The system saves time and effort – in communicating with applicants, processing and storing applications, comparing applicants, and reporting on recruitment.

Finavia values good management skills, and the development of training and training programmes for supervisors
continued in 2006. The training programme in management behaviour and operational supervision is already in its second year, and JET training, that takes place as an apprenticeship, was provided to groups composed of Finavia supervisors and police officers from the Province of Southern Finland.

At Finavia, all managers are expected to hold constructive development discussions with their subordinates, which are an essential part of the job. During the year under review, the evaluation of performance that is part of the development discussions was reformed, and a new model was tried on an experimental basis in the Helsinki area.

A job satisfaction survey encompassing all of Finavia was carried out during the early part of the year. The survey examined such issues as how staff perceive the atmosphere at work and the performance of their supervisors.

The top management are also undergoing training. Training for the members of Finavia’s executive group was planned in the autumn, but the actual training events will start in 2007.

At Avia College, Finavia’s professional special vocational school, training is provided in the various occupations within aviation, including air traffic controllers. Avia College also takes care of Finavia’s other professional training for staff.

Testing of professional competence in basic training for air traffic control was introduced officially in August 2006. In the tests, students demonstrate how well they have attained the objectives of the vocational studies and the professional competence required in working life.

Avia College offers an increasing amount of training through the Internet, and communications technology
forms a part of a growing number of courses. Pedagogical procedures have been developed so that more on-the-job training instructors and test examiners have been trained for workplaces. Most of the staff of Avia College have acquired professional teaching qualifications.

Internet-based training has been applied, for example, in continuing education for air navigation support staff whose tasks are critical to safety. Recurrent computer-aided training on dangerous goods (DGR) can be completed entirely over the Internet. Avia College has signed an agreement on the use of the DGR programme with Finnair and many other aviation companies.

Computer-aided training programmes on radio traffic in air navigation were completed in 2006. In addition to its own instruction on radio-telephone traffic, Avia College markets Internet-based training programmes to aviation schools, airlines and air forces.

The reform of training for the new qualification system of technical staff in air navigation services continued in 2006.

Training for security checks is being reformed in step with the continually changing operating and legislative environment. Many new operating procedures were adopted in 2006, including e.g. procedures concerning the transportation of liquids in the aircraft ’s cabin.

The interpretation of images from luggage and cargo that pass through X-ray machines is now being studied more intensively than before through computer simulation. Staff performing security checks learn to recognize threats effectively and practise carrying out the correct measures. The image interpretation simulation environmentis transportable so basic and recurrent training for security checks can be offered at any airport.