Understanding the ICAO Doc 10057 Manual on ATSEP Competency Based Training and Assessment

This article will explain what the ICAO Doc 10057 Manual on ATSEP Competency Based Training and Assessment is and how it is used for training guidelines.

Purpose of ICAO Doc 10057 Manual

ICAO’s Doc 10057 Manual on ATSEP Competency Based Training and Assessment acts as a guide for air navigation service providers (ANSPs) and training providers in developing competency-based training and assessment programs for air traffic electronics personnel (ATSEP). Its intent is to ensure global standardization for training ATSEP.

ATSEP Training Phases

The ICAO Doc 10057 Manual on ATSEP Competency Based Training and Assessment organizes ATSEP training into five phases.

Phase Zero – Selection

This phase is not a training phase, but instead the process of the ANSP selecting training candidates according to ATSEP profiles and activities.

Phase One – Initial Training

The initial training phase is designed to give ATSEP trainees the basic knowledge and skills they will need to progress to higher-level training. 

This training consists of two parts:

1. Basic training that applies to all ATSEP and provides general knowledge regarding:

• Standards for international and national organizations
• Air traffic services, airspace standards, aeronautical information systems, meteorology, and altimetry
• CNS/ATM concepts
• Human factors

2. Qualification training that is specific to ATSEP profiles, including:

• Communication
• Navigation
• Surveillance
• Data-processing/automation
• System monitoring and control
• Infrastructure
• Engineering

Phase Two – Unit Training

After completing initial training, ATSEP trainees begin unit training. This training focuses on activities that the ATSEP will perform in a specific environment and includes theoretic and practical issues from equipment and site-specific perspectives. The ATSEP’s competencies are trained and assessed in this phase with three modules:

1. Technical and operational environment module
2. System/equipment module
3. On-the-job training module

Phase Three – Continuation Training

The continuation training phase includes refresher, emergency, and conversion training to maintain ATSEP competencies and prepare ATSEP for system upgrades and/or modifications.

Phase Four – Development Training

The development training phase focuses on developing additional competencies that are needed when an ATSEP’s profile changes or evolves.

ATSEP Training Paths

The ICAO Doc 10057 Manual specifies ATSEP training paths and the progression in which ATSEP will proceed through training. It is expected that ATSEP will go through training throughout various points in their careers, including when changes in systems, domains, activities, and associated competencies and additional systems occur.

ATSEP Certification of Competence

The ICAO Doc 10057 Manual specifies how certificates of competence are presented to ATSEP.

Upon successful completion of required training, the ATSEP could receive a certificate of compliance that could be in the form of a:

• License delivered by an authority
• Certificate delivered by an ANSP or other training organization
• Diploma/academic degree delivered by an accredited educational institution

Development of Competency-Based ATSEP Training and Assessment Programs

The ICAO Doc 10057 Manual provides ANSPs and training organizations with guidelines for designing competency-based training and assessment programs for ATSEP. Detailed examples are also provided with the document.

According to the ICAO, there are four steps to developing an ATSEP competency-based training and assessment program. The Doc 10057 Manual lists the steps as:

• Step 1 – Defining profiles and activities within the ANSP’s predetermined ATSEP scope and develop job descriptions
• Step 2 – Associating initial training modules to ATSEP job objective as identified in job description
• Step 3 – Associating competency units, competency elements and performance criteria to the ATSEP tasks
• Step 4 – Developing training and assessment plans for unit training

Assessment of ATSEP Competencies

The ICAO Doc 10057 Manual describes the principles that should be addressed in competency-based assessments. Competency assessments should include:

• Clear criteria for assessing competence
• An integrated performance of the competencies
• Valid and reliable evidence
• Multiple observations

References

• More articles on ATSEP training in accordance with ICAO 10057 (2018 - today), by Dawn M. Turner, Dennis Vasilev, Dr. Ulrich Scholten and more
• More articles on Radar Training Systems (2018 - today), by Dennis Vasilev, Dr. Ulrich Scholten and more
• Manual on Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel, Competency-Based Training and Assessment DOC 10057 (2016), by ICAO