The gathering was one of a series of training conferences that support senior FAA leadership's
call for employees to take advantage of career-advancing training and detail opportunities.
"Invest in yourself and never stop learning," John Pipes, senior vice president for ATO Strategy
and Performance, told those attending the TWO/NAPA conference. "Stay current. Upgrade yourself by
seizing opportunities outside of your comfort zone.
"Get a mentor, find people that can give you counsel. Learn the agency and network."
The conference-goers who took the interactive 16-hour course on "Increasing NAS Knowledge," or INK,
learned a lot about Technical Operations.
Technical Operations Services employees "are the ones responsible for ensuring the safe operations
of the NAS," said Della Triggs-Koch, an FAA Academy instructor and INK course coordinator. She said
the course allows Tech Ops personnel to "be aware of changes … and to adapt to new trends."
But the course is not only for Tech Ops professionals — it's open to anybody who wants to learn more
about the field. INK instructor Lowen Overby, a NAS policy and program analyst, said the
training helps people to understand the Tech Ops culture, and offers a window of opportunity within
the organization for growth. Topics include tort law, certification, administrative management,
maintenance requirements, maintenance procedures, and protection of agency property and personnel.
Facilities interested in scheduling INK training should work through their local program support
specialists to contact ATO Technical Training. In 2009, FAA facilities hosted 15 INK training courses.
Other training sessions at the TWO/NAPA conference included "Plain Language or Perish," by Bruce Corsino,
FAA Plain Language manager; "Safety Culture," by Joan Devine, Safety Culture manager; and "The Power of
Effective Communications," by Ventris Gibson, assistant Administrator for Human Resource Management, and
Ron Williams, CEO of the Brand Enhancing Strategy Team.