ASOG Article of the Month | May 2022
ASOG Author | Patrick Ryan
Last week (20 June 2022), the following poll question was posted in the ASOG LinkedIn group:
"Do you favor an internationally recognized standardized basic civil certification for Airborne Sensor Operators (ASO)?"
The result was:
- 67% "Yes"
- 28% "No"
- 6% "Other" (sadly to say with no comments)
Just to let you know, I was one of the folks who voted "Yes." Here's my reasoning for clicking the "Yes" button.
Obtaining a professional internationally recognized civil ASO certification (which does not exist today…only in individual uniform services or one-off countries like Australia) would have numerous pros and almost no cons. The top two pros on my list are improving the aviation safety awareness of non-rated aircrew members and improving aerial remote-sensing operations.
Acquiring an ASO certification would be a designation voluntarily earned by ASOs that identify they have demonstrated a standard level of experience, skills, and expertise. This certification would be issued to individuals by a professional society or association (hint, hint…ASOG) that has a certifying body. In the long run, investing time, money, and energy to obtain this certification would only help and not hurt an individual ASO or the organizations they work for.
In addition, I think the following are additional benefits of having an ASO certification program and why ASOs should obtain one:
- Competitive Advantage - When you have a certification, you'll be one step ahead of many others in your career field. You become more preferred than other candidates for a job because it shows that you are committed to improving yourself and excelling in your profession.
- Improving Productivity - Gaining a certification requires taking professional courses, i.e., learning something new or what is trending. With this, the knowledge you get will transfer to your coworkers and, in turn, affect your organization's productivity.
- Pay Increase - Employers are willing and ready to pay their employees better salaries, i.e., if they have the required skills and knowledge and are professionally certified.
- Mitigates Lagging Behind - Instead of complaining about how things are changing so fast and how much you are lagging regarding trends in your ASO sector, getting professional certifications and keeping it current will help you update your skills
Finally, I believe it improves your professional network. Without a doubt, networking is a critical instrument in your career management "flight bag." Going through a certification program allows you to expand your network by engaging both fellow participants and the certifying body itself.
Additionally, when it comes to the workplace, it also increases the brand of a company or organization when they can reference their crews are certified, i.e., especially in the eyes of competitors and clients alike.
To sum it all up and the reason I clicked "Yes," you would agree with me that the benefits of getting an internationally recognized civil ASO Certification would be invaluable and cannot be overemphasized. Or, do you disagree, kind of disagree, somewhat agree? …O.K., enough, Patrick, they get the point.
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