The International Institute of Tourism and Aviation promotes Professional Training in Aviation!
Accredited by the Ministry of Education , the International Institute for Tourism and Aviation (IITA) has just introduced a new offering for Vocational Aviation Education — available in five national schools .
Patricia Baptista , CEO, states in an interview that the ambition is ” to be the link between academic requirements and industry needs , working with a 360º vision and in synergy with employing and educational organizations .”
With a team of qualified and up-to-date operational staff focused on attracting and retaining the next generation of professionals, what pedagogical model is implemented?
In Portugal, schools still largely follow a traditional teaching model, where teachers are the central figure of knowledge and responsible for ensuring student learning. Content receives special attention, and assessment is a major concern because tests and exercises are used to assign grades and verify learning success.
IITA, in its collaboration with schools, respects this methodology, which has its merits; however, in our teaching process in the technical area, the focus is on student activity.
Our basic principle centers on an active and integrative methodology, with curricular diversity and versatile student training, with total integration of individual and productive work. The emotional and personal dimensions of student development have a preponderant weight, therefore giving space for the free expression of students and their active participation in teaching tasks, so that learning is meaningful, relatable to real life and never just the result of memorization or repetition.
Through quality and excellent education, what conditions are required and what skills are offered?
Beyond the legal requirements for entering the 10th grade – via the technical-professional track – students undergo a recruitment process conducted by schools and IITA to filter out the most suitable candidates. Students take a written and an oral exam; grades in English, Portuguese, Mathematics, and Science are also considered, as these will be crucial not only in the sociocultural and scientific areas but also in the technological ones. During the recruitment process, we hold several “open days” where we talk to students and parents about the course, the professional profile, and the academic and behavioral expectations we have of the students.
As is the case in aviation, the use of a uniform, accompanied by a user and maintenance manual, is a mandatory requirement.
During the 3-year course, students will have the opportunity to develop technical, social, and communication skills, as well as high employability, digital proficiency, critical thinking, and a collaborative mindset, among others. These skills align with the 5 pillars of IITA – Humanism, Ethics, Citizenship, Freedom, Cooperation, and Excellence – and also reflect the professional profile that aviation seeks.
After completing the program, what challenges will the students be able to address?
During the course, students will be exposed to the real-world context of the various roles they will be eligible to apply for upon completion. To this end, they will develop, in addition to technical skills, critical decision-making skills, transformational leadership, intercultural communication, and adaptability to the rapid changes experienced in airport operations. Likewise, IITA, through its Advisory Boards, is abreast of the latest developments in the industry, allowing it to include and develop future-oriented content and skills in the curriculum. We believe that three years of aviation studies at the secondary level will better prepare students who intend to pursue higher education, enabling them to follow various specialization paths and thus be able to integrate into national and international markets.
One of the major problems already identified in the conventional system is the scarcity of engaging educational experiences that lead to the student's full involvement in achieving better results. How is motivation stimulated?
In our technical curriculum, we promote group work, team-building activities, debates, student mentoring projects, real-world learning through live streaming to the classroom and later during internships, immersive learning experiences (virtual reality), study visits, visits to the schools of guest speakers, and our annual Summit, where students will have the opportunity to hear from various speakers, interact with our industry partners, and network. In addition, we will implement the Virtual School, in partnership with Porto Editora, where our students will have access to more interactive content.
And what about opportunities? What assistance is provided for the effective integration of students?
IITA is establishing partnerships with national and international organizations to guarantee students mandatory internships. We aim for our students to become familiar not only with the national market but also the international one, opening more doors for their future. During the course, students will be prepared for recruitment processes and will have the opportunity to participate in “Career Days,” where they will learn about various organizations in the market and thus make an informed choice about where they would like to do an internship and work in the future. Given market needs, our partners guarantee IITA students selection opportunities after completing their internships.
Do you consider investing in the future essential, given the revolutionary technological landscape?
Absolutely. This year, IITA, in partnership with APPLA, launched a Level I Aviation Cybersecurity training program, and we are already working on Level II. We are also developing courses in Artificial Intelligence, Green Aviation, and Operational Network Management.
Employability is guaranteed, thanks to partnerships with various companies. What potential benefits are amplified by the close link between education and the workplace?
Twenty years ago, the aviation sector was a challenging yet glamorous industry. Being recruited was a privilege because the roles were seen as specialized, and as such, the process was selective, rigorous, and demanding. Most people decided to apply to this industry based on information and, above all, passion. With the various socio-political and economic crises that aviation has faced, a growing skills crisis has taken hold, and today, aviation remains a challenging sector, but with little glamour and limited training opportunities.
Our ambition is to bring back the rigor, passion, and glamour of 20 years ago to aviation, with the inherent adaptations necessary for the progress of the sector and society. For this to happen, it will also be necessary for industry organizations to reassess their recruitment processes, compensation and benefits policies, as well as their relationship management with their employees.
IITA aims to be the link between academic requirements and industry needs, working with a 360º vision and in synergy with employing and educational organizations.
Offered both in person and through e-learning , it will also reach Higher Education, with Bachelor's degrees, Master's degrees, Postgraduate degrees, and Specializations. What can we look forward to?
IITA aims to be accredited as a Higher Technical Institute of Aviation by 2027, so that our students can continue their studies in various aspects of aviation after completing the 12th grade. Our project is ambitious, as we would like to create an “IITA Village” that includes a training airport, but we are optimistic that, since this is a project of interest to the entire industry, the industry will also join us to help achieve this goal.
What differentiates IITA from other institutions?
Our institute specializes in aviation, with the mission of attracting, training, and retaining the next generation of aviation professionals, which is pioneering in Portugal. Our students begin their aviation careers in the 10th grade and, after completing the 12th grade, either enter the job market, pursue different paths such as Ground Handling Traffic Technicians, Aircraft Mechanics, Pilots, Flight Attendants, etc., or continue on to higher education.
Our vision, “The right people, with the right skills, in the right roles,” promotes more specialized training programs across multiple sectors. An example of this is our upcoming goal, in synergy with several partners, to launch qualifications in the Air Cargo sector, among others. This sector is rapidly expanding and has few specialists, a field where we ourselves find it difficult to find trainers.
How can we learn more about IITA?
IITA is present in vocational schools, but you can also get information through the website ( www.iita-aviation.com ) or on its social media, where you can also find the most relevant news about the sector.
We are also promoting a first season of “Aviation Conversations”, available on YouTube, Spotify, Google for Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts and Apple Podcasts, about a day in the life of a pilot, a TMA, a TTAE, or about digital transformation, sustainable fuels and cybersecurity, with special guests.
