Training and Development Commons^™

Career Choice Motivation For Commercial Pilots, Brett Watts

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Career choice motivation research studies the factors involved during a person’s decision-making process regarding which career to pursue (Skatova & Ferguson, 2014). These factors are often studied in individuals who have not yet entered the workforce, such as students. Although there is a significant amount of research on career choice motivations for doctors, dentists, and other related fields, research on career choice motivations for pilots is sparse. As air traffic is expected to grow at approximately 4.7% per year for the next 20 years (Federal Aviation Administration, 2022), a key factor in the aviation industry’s growth is the availability of …

Using Cliftonstrengthstm For Professional Development: Recommendations For Practice, Nancy A. Watkins, Cynthia Gautreau, Daryl V. Watkins

Publications

This article explores how a culture of strengths-based leadership can positively impact professional development for school site administrators. The strengths of school district administrators were measured through the administration of CliftonStrengths™ assessment. Themes that emerged were determined through the assessment and qualitative analysis of responses. A sample of convenience 50 principals and assistant principals from a public school district in Southern California participated in this research. The findings revealed that the common talent themes among school site administrators were relationship building, executing, influencer, and learner. This study supports future practices to enable human resources personnel to design targeted professional development …

“You’Ll Never Really Be One Of Us”: Women’S Underrepresentation In The Aviation Workforce, Rebecca K. Lutte Ph.D., Shannon M. Morrison Ph.D.

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Women are underrepresented in many aviation occupations despite outreach and recruitment efforts from multiple organizations. Attracting women into aviation is a necessity not only to address workforce demand but also to achieve the benefits of a more diverse workforce to include enhanced profitability, safety, and innovation. To address the gender gap, the research presented here attempts to inform recruitment/retention strategies by identifying both the positive and negative factors that influence a woman’s decision to pursue a career in aviation and the decision to persist. Additionally, factors such as participation in youth outreach programs, role of mentors, influencers who support or …

The Effects Of At-Home Remote Work Environments On Human Cognitive Performance And Work Task Performance Based On Current Societal Conditions, Angela Arias

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Home-based remote work systems present a unique set of cognitive performance and work task performance challenges to employees without remote work experience. The COVID-19 pandemic forced companies into transforming their work system structures, and their employee roles, without the preparation or education of the dynamics that surround home-based remote work systems. This thesis benefits the Human Factors community by investigating the effects of at-home remote-based work environments on cognitive performance, and work task performance, of employees who currently work remotely from home. A multimethod approach was employed to carry out this research. A survey was administered to home-based remote employees, …

Employability Skills For 21st Century Stem Students: The Employers’ Perspective, Doreen Mcgunagle, Laura Zizka

Publications

Purpose

One of the goals of educational institutions is to prepare their graduates to be workplace-ready. The purpose of this paper is to identify the employability skills lacking in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) industry from employers' perspectives to assist STEM educational institutions in creating more relevant programs inclusive of employability skills.

Design/methodology/approach

This study addresses 16 job-specific skills based on data deriving from the responses of 250 Human Resource Managers (HRMs) who represent five manufacturing industries (Aerospace and Defense, Automotive, Consumer Products, Electronics and Industrial Manufacturing) located in five regions (Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, West-Mountain and Pacific) of …

Under Pressure: Decision Making In Aircraft Maintenance And The Role Of Gender, Stephanie Douglas Ph.D., Bettina M. Mrusek Ph.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

In aircraft maintenance, leaders are under near-constant pressure to maintain airworthiness. Every minute an aircraft cannot fly due to maintenance represents financial waste. Decisions are therefore made in a relatively quick fashion. A leader evaluates the situation, identifies a course of action and then communicates this message to a team of technicians. However, gender influences regarding leaders’ decisions can influence team members’ perceptions of those decisions.

The study will measure decision making methods of leaders in aircraft maintenance and the perceptions of the technicians. It informs how gender influences decision making from both the leader and follower perspective. The expected …

Outsourcing Aircraft Maintenance And Related Safety Implications, Rajee Olaganathan Ph.D., Mark Miller Ed.D., Bettina M. Mrusek Ph.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

The U.S aviation industry faced severe financial losses after the 9/11 incident. The financial loss that occurred between 2000 and 2009 in the U.S. alone was $54 billion dollars. One of the operational strategies adopted by air carriers to overcome this hurdle was to outsource aircraft maintenance. Initially, this was accomplished in both home and off-shore locations. Unionized labor relations in the US ultimately forced these organizations to outsource to non-unionized labor sources in foreign countries. However, due to the upsurge in accidents and incidents that resulting from maintenance failures, the concept of outsourcing maintenance became a subject of debate …

Integrating Aviation Technology, Emergency Services, And Human Resilience: Considerations From Social Scientists, Chelsea A. Lenoble Ph.D., Joel M. Billings Ph.D., Allison A. Kwesell Ph.D., Ray H. Chang Ph.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have a range of applications within the field of disaster response. This presentation offers a novel framework of psychosocial considerations designed to advance UAS and disaster management integration. Social scientists highlight important challenges to the effective integration of three primary entities: UAS, the team of teams that responds to disasters, and populations affected by disasters.

The presentation adopts an emerging theoretical perspective on the intersection between UAS capabilities and disaster phases and extends it by bringing necessary attention to social science issues. Specifically, the framework outlines psychosocial considerations and areas of improvement for preparation (training), response …

The Impact Of An International Aviation Leadership Development Program On Organizational Effectiveness, Stephanie Douglas Ph.D., Daisha M. Merritt Ph.D., Robin Roberts D.Mgt.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Leadership development is critical for organizational progress. Leaders who are strong in operations and talent management maximization are a strength to organizational effectiveness (Andenoro et al., 2015). An organization's leadership performance can be a differentiator in competitive advantages for the firm and used to leverage employee productivity (Gentry et al., 2014; Kark, 2011, Van Velsor et al., 2010). There is an urge for more of an emphasis on developing systemic leadership, observing the importance of looking at not only development of the individual leader but also the collective leadership capacity among all employees to address the increasing complexities and needs …

Adversity: Its Affect On The Resilience Of Female Pilots, Linda M. Pittenger D.Mgt., Stephanie Douglas Ph.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Women are one of the solutions to alleviating the pending pilot shortage. Becoming a pilot needs to appeal to women. Resilience plays an important role in determining whether women in male-dominated career fields will pursue or abandon their careers. The pilot profession is dominated by masculine beliefs, values and perceptions creating an organizational culture adverse and challenging to women.

The study objective was to explore the influence of adversity on female pilots and its effect on resiliency. In our sample of 1,499 female pilots, we found lower resiliency levels as compared to a general U.S. sample. Additionally, statistically significant differences …

Examining Uas Employment Expectations And Requirements, Brent A. Terwilliger Ph.D., Ryan J. Wallace Ed.D., Matthew P. Earnhardt Ph.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Unmanned aircraft system (UAS) technology is radically changing how organizations, such as government agencies, non-profit corporations, and companies, apply aviation resources. Unmanned aviation is supporting improved efficiency, expanded capability, and heightened reliability through an increasing number of uses relating to: a) research and development and training-education, b) event filming, c) industrial, utility, and environmental projects, d) real estate, e) construction activities, f) agricultural, g) press and media, and h) state/local emergency services. The increasing application, and subsequent operational growth, is occurring in response to maturing technology, refined operational management and permissibility, innovative concept development, demonstrated capability, enhanced supportability, and the …

Diversity And The Future Of Work: Examining The Future Workplace Through A Generational Lens, Gordon Haley, Thomas G. Henkel

Publications

• Talent management is a critical consideration for organizations in the increasingly uncertain and competitive business environment
• Human Resource Management is critical to the success of any organization operating in the current service and knowledge economies
• Ignoring generational differences can lead to an ineffective organization

An Insight To Project Manager Personality Traits Improving Team Project Outcomes, Thomas G. Henkel, Gordon Haley, Debra T. Bourdeau, James Marion

Publications

Individual personality assessments tools have a strong following among Fortune 100 companies.[1] Besides being used for hiring purposes, individual personality assessment tools give project managers insight into personality and aspirations, as well as how they process and organize information, make decisions, and interact with team members and other stakeholders. The aim of this research study was to explore what personality traits project managers need to lead a project team effectively. To accomplish this, we employed the Big Five Personality® and the 1/11 Myers-Briggs (MBTI®) personality assessments to identify favorable personality traits and characteristics when managing projects.

Global Aviation System: Towards Sustainable Development, Marina P. Bonser Dr.

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Aviation around the world has integrated into a global system. As the integration process continues, more aspects and levels of it need to be lead towards the sustainable development of the whole system via advancing strategic management, global communication proficiency, and technological expertise. It becomes essential to enrich global language (English) proficiency with cross-cultural communication competence not only for communication in the air but also for airport security, passenger and cargo services, aircraft and equipage engineering, building, and maintenance. Nowadays lower levels of management need more advanced strategic thinking and problem solving skills, and higher levels of management need global …

Talent Management: Hiring And Developing Engaged Employees, Chuck O'Bryan, Anne Marie Casey

Publications

Talent management, which includes intentional work design, leadership development, and employee engagement, is a growing trend in the world of commerce, both domestically and globally. This article provides a review of the literature on talent management and explores ways in which this human resource management concept might be applicable to higher education and libraries.

Understanding Generation: Implications For Flight Training, Hiring, And Retention, Kristine M. Kiernan Ph.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Generation is a much discussed topic in the literature on workforce training and education. The simultaneous presence of numerous generations in the workforce has created tensions, challenges, and opportunities. In collegiate flight training, the Millennial generation is giving way to the post-Millennial generation, which will bring its own learning style and priorities to the cockpit. This presentation reviews the scientific literature on generational differences, identifying which differences are actually supported by data. Demographic and economic trends, including data from the National Science Foundation’s Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System, will be combined with demonstrated generational differences in work-related attitudes and …

Recipe For Success: Behavioral Ingredients For Superior Performing Leaders, Linda M. Pittenger

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

The aviation and aerospace business is a complex adaptive system that includes emerging technologies, competitors, government policies, cost demands, globalization, and talent constraints. To effectively lead in the chaos of constant demands and disruptive and unpredictable external environments, having deep and broad functional expertise is not enough. Superior performing leaders require further broadening and deepening of selected behavioral competencies in order to succeed (Smith, 2000). Particular to aviation and aerospace, understanding the types of leaders needed to be successful is especially important since baby boomer employees will soon retire and the middle managers that will likely replace them lack the …

Industry In Motion: Pilot Study On Instructor And Management Perceptions Of New Hire Pilot Technical And Professional Preparation, Nicholas D. Wilson, Shayne A. Daku

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Each new generation entering the workforce follows a unique path preparing them for success in their respective industry. A myriad of factors influence this transitional process including advancements in technology, economic and cultural factors as well as characteristics common to each generation. This process of training in technical and professional knowledge is uniquely important in the transition into the airline industry. This pilot study focused on collecting and evaluating the perceptions of management and instructors in a regional airline training environment as they trained new hire pilots from day 1 of Company Indoctrination to completion of Operating Experience (OE). This …

You’Ve Got Mail: Examination Of A Brief Online Email Training, Jake R. Mathwich, Keaton A. Fletcher, Wendy L. Bedwell

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Many companies train employees on writing emails in seminar-style training sessions. However, in-person, seminar-style trainings are costly. This study aims to create a training program, rooted in the science of training to address these needs. We examine the mechanisms of action by which the training influences performance and intent to transfer. To do this, we call upon several models of training effectiveness (see Alliger, Tannenbaum, Bennett, & Traver, 1997; Baldwin & Ford, 1988; and Kirkpatrick, 1959). Taken together, these models suggest that individual differences will predict affective reactions, which will lead to utility reactions, ultimately leading to learning. We aim …

A Cross-Sectional Investigation Of The Relationships Education, Certification, And Experience Have With Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities Among Aviation Professionals, Daryl Watkins, Jason M. Newcomer, Matthew P. Earnhardt, James W. Marion, Rose A. Opengart, Aaron M. Glassman

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The aviation industry is a complex system with many different segments and as such, makes hiring the right person a complicated endeavor. Previous research suggested that knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) are composed of elements that include education, certification, and experience (ECE). The relative importance of ECE is dependent on the type of job within the aviation sector. The objective of this mixed-methods concurrent triangulation study was to examine aviation industry professionals’ perceived relationship between their ECE and the development of their KSAs. The convenience sample consisted of 404 professionals in the aviation industry who completed the KSA Composite Measure …

Icao Aviation System Block Upgrades: A Method For Identifying Training Needs, Becky Lutte

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The ICAO launched the Aviation System Block Upgrades (ASBU) framework to support the modernization of global air navigation. The ASBU framework was designed to address the need for a globally interoperable system in an environment of increased traffic demand. In order to successfully implement the components of the ASBU, obstacles must be overcome. One primary area of concern is meeting the demand for properly trained personnel. The purpose of this research is to develop a method to identify the training needs associated with the implementation of the ASBU modules. This research will review the development and components of the ASBU …

Validating The Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities Composite Measure: An Aviation Industry Pilot Study, Aaron M. Glassman, Jason M. Newcomer, Matthew P. Earnhardt, Rose A. Opengart, Daryl V. Watkins, James W. Marion

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Recent research into the aviation management education paradigm shift indicated that education, certification, and experience (ECE) were all important in the aviation industry; however, the relative importance varied between managers depending on their field. Overall, the results identified experience as the most important factor, followed by certification, then education. Furthermore, the authors made a logical connection between the that study and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), which would ultimately lead managers to a hiring decision. The purpose of this mixed-methods sequential exploratory pilot study was to develop, validate, and test the reliability of the KSA composite measure (KCM), a data …

An Inquiry Into The Aviation Management Education Paradigm Shift, Matthew P. Earnhardt, Jason M. Newcomer, Daryl V. Watkins, James W. Marion

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Working adults with four-year degrees from accredited colleges or universities earn, on average, almost three times more than individuals without a degree. This pay gap led Newcomer and his colleagues to study attitudes of aviation and aerospace managers towards education. That study found that managers valued education in new hires, even though they did not deem it critical to their own positions. That finding indicated a potential paradigm shift towards the perceived value of education in the industry.

In the current qualitative, phenomenological research, we interviewed 14 managers from various capacities within the aviation and aerospace industries to determine the …

Aviation Managers’ Perspective On The Importance Of Education, Jason M. Newcomer, James W. Marion Jr, Matthew P. Earnhardt

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The U.S. Department of Labor reported that working adults with at least a four-year college degree earned an annual average salary of $63,400 compared to the $24,300 salary of high school graduates with no college. The purpose of this quantitative non-experimental study was to survey managers in the U.S. aviation industry to describe their perspective on how education has impacted them. Following a robust review of the literature, we analyzed the responses from 103 managers’ and discovered that there is a significant association between degree importance and level of education among aviation managers that has application to professional practice. The …

Pilots For Space Tourism, Robert A. Goehlich, Jay K. Anderson, Nathan N. Harrold, Joseph A. Bemis, Mike T. Nettleingham, Joshua M. Cobin, Bradley R. Zimmerman, Ben L. Avni, Michael D. Gonyea, Nicholas Y. Ilchena

Aeronautics, Graduate Studies - Worldwide

This article sheds light on the key player needed for any space tourism adventure: the pilot who flies the spacecraft. The paper addresses the potential benefits of including a pilot at the controls when designing a space tourism spacecraft. It examines the basic qualifications and advanced skills required of space tourism pilots and discusses key training requirements for selected pilots and space pilots’ pay and benefits. In addition, the research concludes that, just as the pioneers of passenger transport in aviation entertained and captured the interest of their passengers, the space pilot should have the skills of a tour guide.