Gatwick Airport is the second-busiest airport in the UK, handling 43 million passengers annually. Since carrying luggage, cleaning runways, and moving aircraft require trained workers, the client sought a digital training solution to teach them how to operate heavy machinery quickly, safely, and efficiently.
The client required a Gatwick Airport digital training system to help new and existing staff learn how to operate large-scale machinery. The idea was to make training easy, convenient, and beneficial for all the learners. Since training was not done consistently previously, some workers received different instructions from different trainers. As a result, it became difficult to know who had completed what course. Gatwick required an airport staff training platform, using which the entire workforce can learn the same way at their own pace. Also, it should help instructors perform real-time training progress monitoring to achieve better safety outcomes.
Building an Employee Training System for international airports is not the same as a standard mobile app. There were many challenges that we had to overcome:
At airports, there are various types of machines that workers operate. Every machine is unique and requires distinct handling. Like the way you drive a luggage cart is different from the way you steer a runway sweeper truck. The challenge was to design a unified web and mobile training platform where staff could access machine-specific training modules in one place. This would make it easy to train employees as per their requirements.
Training material constantly evolves with new safety guidelines and revised methods. The client required a solution for mobile learning for airport staff that can update training material and distribute it immediately to all personnel. This way, workers will have the latest and accurate information at their disposal.
The London Gatwick Airport employs thousands of people, and most of them require training. It was not easy to assign courses, monitor progress, and maintain records manually. The challenge was to create a unified platform, including machine-specific training modules for aviation. This will help accomplish everything digitally, from course allocation to progress reports.
Staff are constantly on the go on the airfield. They cannot always sit at a desk to learn. The client wanted the aviation workforce training management system to be mobile-friendly. This would enable staff to access lessons at any time, anywhere on their smartphones. But at the same time, they needed a web-based backend for trainers and managers to be able to see everything.
An app where employees could access theory lessons and airport machinery training modules. They were able to learn at their own pace and revisit lessons whenever required.
A dashboard where instructors can upload training content, enroll learners, and monitor progress. Additionally, managers can view how training is improving safety and airport operations efficiency.
Each machine type had its own learning module. These modules include text, images, and videos to encourage learning in a clear way. Employees received only the training relevant to their assigned machines, ensuring focus and efficiency.
The training content is customized for various languages and literacy levels. This eliminates language barriers among a diverse set of staff, resulting in increased training effectiveness.
The e-learning for ground staff had a massive impact on Gatwick Airport operations. It transformed the training delivery and how staff learned about different machine operations. Below are the key outcomes and effects:
Previously, new employees had to wait for scheduled training periods. Now, with the newly built mobile app, they can begin learning right away. This saves time for new hires to become fully trained, and the client leverages faster airport employee onboarding.
Employees like the mobile-first strategy a lot. They can learn at the workplace, while on break, or whenever they can spare some time. The app is easy to use, interactive, and intuitive. This increased the demand for training and made learning less stressful.
Safety has increased to a great extent since all workers go through the same standardized training modules now. Everyone operates machines as per the same rules and procedures specified in the learning materials. This reduced errors and accidents big time and helped Gatwick Airport achieve rigorous aviation safety requirements through mobile-first learning for employees.
Trainers and managers can track employee progress in real time. They can see which courses workers have completed and identify areas needing support. This has helped the client achieve training compliance for airport staff.
The Gatwick Airport training solution is not just another digital application out there, but a leap towards the future of airport operations. By shifting training from paper and classroom methods to a web-based and mobile system, the client accelerated training, enhanced safety, and facilitated digital workforce management airport.
Now, employees are able to learn at their leisure, managers can track progress with ease, and the airport is able to abide by safety regulations. This not only saves resources and time but also makes airport operations more efficient overall.
InnovationM is pleased to have worked with Gatwick Airport for the development of the Airport staff training platform. We have demonstrated how technology can reshape even the most challenging environments, such as an international airport, into a smarter, safer, and more efficient system.