All airside employees to be GSAT trained by January 2009… ThirdForce provides the solution!

The deadline is fast approaching for all airside pass-holders in the restricted zone (RZ) to receive General Security Awareness Training (GSAT). In answer to this, ThirdForce, the UK’s leading compliance training and e-learning provider launches its pioneering e-learning solution.

The Department for Transport (DfT), in January 2008, stated that it was a legal requirement for all airside pass-holders to receive GSAT training, a requirement of EC Regulation 2320. In the UK, GSAT applies to all applicants for, and holders of a full pass granting unescorted access to the RZ except where the applicant or pass holder is already in receipt of equivalent or better training (known as equivalence). From January 2009 any pass-holder in the RZ who is not GSAT trained will have their pass suspended.

This poses a huge challenge for both airside employers and also the employees themselves. With only four months left until the condition comes into play, all RZ employees must not only fulfill their contracted hours of work, but also the GSAT requirements. Failure to comply with the DfT statement will mean that staff will no longer be compliant and as a result this may impact staffing in the RZ.

The aviation industry is one that is faced with severe pressures, most notably heightened security risks and threats. It is an extremely competitive, fast paced industry and keeping staff trained is a concern when they are geographically dispersed over multiple sites. The UK currently has approximately 200,000 airside employees that require GSAT training. Operational areas include retail, airlines, facilities management, and caterers.

Elaine Kauder, Senior Product Manager of ThirdForce explained: “ThirdForce has developed an e-learning course for GSAT that is fully compliant and accredited by the DfT. Most importantly the solution provides Management with an audit trail and the ability to monitor employee progress through the training, via its Learning Management System, AIMS Perform.” The course has also been jointly developed with a UK airport security DfT accredited expert, Andrew Hudson. ThirdForce prides itself on its understanding of the user and thus the course has been designed to make learning fun, intuitive and compelling. The course can be accessed anytime anywhere, aiding the airside employees to juggle their work and training successfully.

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With the end of 2008 in sight, the January 2009 deadline countdown begins.