ATNS women graduates flying high after leadership programme

From L to R: Mpho Mamashela, chairman of ATNS, Thandeka Mgodoso, director and board member at ATNS, Sindisiwe Chikunga, MP and deputy minister of transport, Thabani Mthiyane, CEO of ATNS

The courses, Nine Conversations, Women's Management Development Programme, and Mentor and Mentees, are being used to bolster ATNS' current and future leadership throughout the ranks and promote transformation with a focus on gender.

"Organisational leaders face increasingly complex challenges that involve organisational changes, volatile market dynamics, talent and skills shortages," says Sindisiwe Chikunga, MP and deputy minister of transport. "In order to overcome these complex challenges leaders must create a culture that is agile enough to address these difficulties. In addition, this agility must manifest in a leader's ability to optimally manage the talent and development pipeline."

Aviation has typically been a male-dominated profession and these programmes aim to provide a platform for women, who exhibit special talents and show clear potential in management, to improve their skills, knowledge and competencies.

Nine Conversations is a nine-month leadership development programme that develops competency through conversations between students and coaches. Ninety of ATNS' employees completed the programme.

The Women's Management Development Programme offers opportunities to women by them so they can move on to work as supervisors, managers and executives at ATNS.

The Mentor and Mentees programme teaches and instils an ethos of coaching and mentoring in the organisation for knowledge and skills transfer.

ATNS chairman, Mpho Mamashela, says: "My board and I see the opportunities available in this country but we need capable leaders to take the lead and capitalise on this potential. With enough South Africans to take leadership roles our whole country can benefit, not just individuals or individual organisations.

"Women represent an enormous resource pool that, if nurtured correctly, can take the lead. One of my directors, Thandeka Mgodoso, is a very accomplished leader and she balances being a mother, a director, and studying, which is exemplary. It is an astounding feat," Mamashela said.

The transport ministry has been actively supporting the South African aviation sector, particularly ATNS, through active participation in product and services launches, corporate social investment (CSI) and industry conferences. The deputy minister recently said at the Aviation Industry Transformation Letsema: "The Letsema must allow us to share experiences while we seek to address transformation issues and the under-supply of critical and scarce skills conditions in our country."

Mgodoso says: "Empowerment exists when individuals willingly align their personal values and contributions with the values of the organisation. It exists when leadership validates, encourages and supports each contribution given to the achievement of the vision."