The ability to attract new blood to the air cargo sector and retain it is an ongoing concern for many in the industry. The International Air Transport Association is tackling the issue with its fledgling Future Air Cargo Executives (FACE) summit held just prior to the annual World Cargo Symposium.
Seventeen young air cargo professionals, defined as those under 35 years old, were on hand for the second annual FACE summit last month in Los Angeles. They represented airlines, airports, freight forwarders and cargo handlers from around the globe. Even one shipper was on hand. Attendees were briefed on issues facing the industry and were challenged to innovate.
A stellar group of presenters highlighted the session, including Paul Marca, executive director of the Stanford Center for Professional Development, and Michael Bell, an executive search specialist in the Miami office of aviation consultancy Spencer Stuart.
The issue of attracting and retaining top young talent is especially important to Oliver Evans, chief cargo officer for Swiss International Airlines, who gave the welcome address and told the gathering that they must innovate to take advantage of future opportunities for the air cargo industry.
Evans also noted that he is a mentor to a young person at Swiss WorldCargo, spending about an hour a month, sharing his experience and insights. He said the six-month program also offers him a perspective of how the next generation of leaders thinks.
While the FACE summit drew an enthusiastic group of cargo managers, Evans believed the industry can do a better job of embracing this program in the coming years. Following the session, he said that he hopes attendance will increase at future FACE summits and that a group of at least 50 would be a good goal going forward. Swiss WorldCargo certainly did its part, bringing two of its young managers to the session.
As the industry continues to face new and ongoing challenges, companies would do well to follow SwissWorld Cargo’s lead and develop their own mentoring programs. Air cargo would also be well-served if more companies would make the FACE program a priority when the opportunity comes around again next year in Shanghai.