On Wednesday, 29 April 2026, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) convened a pivotal stakeholder meeting to refine the organizational structure and set the long-term strategic course for the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals Plus (NGAP+) programme, an initiative first launched by the authority in December 2025 to cultivate new youth talent for Guyana’s growing aviation sector.
According to an official statement released by the GCAA following the gathering, the cross-institutional meeting represented a major milestone for the programme. Attendees worked in collaboration to finalize the programme’s operational framework and delineate clear roles and responsibilities for every participating partner. As a core outcome of the discussions, attendees agreed to establish a formal governing board that will supervise all programme execution, ensuring the initiative stays aligned with its core mandate of delivering industry-leading aviation training and mentorship opportunities for young Guyanese.
Designed to target young people between the ages of 12 and 24, the NGAP+ programme seeks to inspire the next generation of aviation workers while equipping participants with the theoretical knowledge, hands-on technical skills, and real-world practical experience needed to build successful, long-term careers in the dynamic global aviation industry. The initiative grew out of Resolution A39-29 from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), created specifically to address growing global and local workforce shortages across the aviation sector.
Speaking at the stakeholder meeting was Malcolm Evans, Programme Development Consultant for the United Kingdom-based International Air Cadet Training (i.ACT), which is partnering with Guyana to build out the programme’s full comprehensive curriculum, including specialized technical training modules. Evans emphasized that the programme’s overarching objective is to prepare young Guyanese to fill a wide range of entry-level and professional roles across the domestic aviation industry, building a consistent, sustainable talent pipeline that will support the sector’s growth for decades to come.
Retired Lt. Col. Egbert Field, Director General of the GCAA, echoed this focus, noting that the programme is a targeted solution to the aviation industry’s well-documented personnel gap that many nations, including Guyana, currently face.
The meeting drew representatives from a diverse range of Guyanese educational, governmental, and industry institutions, including the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School, Civil Aviation Training School, University of Guyana, Guyana Digital School, Guyana Defence Force, Guy Drones, Ministry of Education, Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), and the Aircraft Owners Association of Guyana. The broad cross-sector turnout highlights the widespread buy-in and shared commitment to making the programme a success, with collective expertise from across Guyana’s aviation and education ecosystems strengthening the collaborative foundation of the NGAP+ initiative.
Further details, including formal application procedures and official programme timelines for prospective participants, are scheduled to be released to the public in the coming months as final preparations for launch continue.