CARICOM Secretariat’s Software developer wins ICAO Internship

CARICOM Secretariat Software Developer Mr. Brent Lambert is gaining valuable international exposure after successfully securing one of three internship positions as a Business Analysis Tool Developer, at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Montreal, Canada.  Lambert’s six-month internship began in September at ICAO’s Revenue and Production Management Section.

ICAO administers an internship Programme for two main reasons:

(a)      to provide a framework by which participants from diverse academic backgrounds enhance the theoretical knowledge they have acquired by gaining practical experience and exposure to the work of ICAO; and

(b)       to provide ICAO with the assistance of qualified students specialised in various professional fields relevant to the work of ICAO.

The aviation environment, particularly the area of air traffic is predominately IT driven.  Therefore, the internship at ICAO over the six months period will afford Mr. Lambert the opportunity to enhance his theoretical knowledge and gain practical exposure by being placed in an area where matters of particular interest to CARICOM are addressed. This include the critical  development of the Transportation work programme, particularly as it relates to one of the priority air transport programmes of the Regional Transportation Commission –`The Establishment of the Single Airspace Block in CARICOM’.

Mr. Lambert will be exposed to IT skills in the areas of;  communications, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management technology when he undertakes the business analysis development training component of the internship. The experience is expected to inform the `Single/Integration Air Space block in the CARICOM’ programme where, on his return, he will be in a position to share skills and techniques learned with Regional IT and aviation colleagues.  In this regard, his skills will be utilized for the “breakdown/analysis” of the air traffic control system of this Region.

Additionally, the exposure at ICAO will also provide an opportunity for Mr. Lambert to:

(i)            Share current IT skills

(ii)        Meet and discuss issues with industry personnel with whom the Secretariat has been collaborating with respect to the Air Transportation programme of the Commission;

(iii)      Further enhance inter-organisational relationships between ICAO, the Secretariat and the CARICOM Community.

It should be noted that in 2014, the Dean of CARICOM Diplomatic Corp, on behalf of the CARICOM Heads of Mission in Ottawa, drew to the attention of the Secretariat, the lack of participation by Member States, in activities of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and requested that Member States be urged to be more attentive to and participate in deliberations of this organization on a regular basis. Pursuant to the request, the Secretariat brought the Dean’s concern to the attention of the Member States.  To this end, the Transportation Unit continues to embrace the ICAO as one of its key industry partners.