Case Studies

Michael, you have worked for Qatar Aviation Services for 18 years now, can you tell us a little bit about the organisation?

Qatar Aviation Services (QAS) is an award-winning ground handling organisation with its headquarters located at Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Doha, Qatar.

For 24 years, the renowned organisation has served as a world-class ground handling service provider offering solutions for over 40 Airlines, Cargo, Executive and general aviation.

Certified in ISAGO, ISO 9001, RA3 (Regulated Agent) and as a member of the IATA Ground Handling Partnership, QAS provides a wide range of ground handling services covering all aspects of aircraft handling (loading, unloading, overall cabin appearance, flight monitoring), cargo handling, airside transportation, centralised load control, engineering, passenger handling (VIP & passengers with reduced mobility), executive and general aviation, travel and tours and more.

You recently became a Communications and Support Manager after holding the role of Lead Safety and Emergency Response Officer for over 7 years. What does your new role entail?

My role entails administration of the applicable software platforms used within Integrated Management Systems, developing and implementing Emergency Response Plans as well as managing Business Continuity within QAS.

How have your NEBOSH qualifications helped you get to where you are today?

My NEBOSH qualifications have boosted my confidence in carrying out my job roles through constant application of the professional knowledge gained.

I see you studied the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety first. Why did you take this qualification and how did it help you?

There were many motivations for taking the qualification. I wanted to boost the knowledge and experience I have gained over the years, enhance my productivity, learn how to better support QAS’s positive safety culture and gain a professional certification in occupational health and safety that would support my long-term career development. The NEBOSH International General Certificate has helped me by significantly boosting the reservoir of knowledge that I draw on constantly, thereby making me more effective in my safety role and responsibilities.

More recently, you completed the NEBOSH IIRSM Certificate in Managing Risk. What made you take this qualification?

I believe there is an element of risk in everything we do, and to achieve better results we need to be able to identify, assess and manage these risks to maximise opportunities and minimise threats. I wanted to understand this better and found that the NEBOSH IIRSM Certificate in Managing Risk offered solid guidance on how to navigate these elements, especially in an organisational setting.

Key areas of responsibility in your role are emergency response planning and business continuity planning. How has the NEBOSH IIRSM Certificate in Managing Risk helped you?

It has given me relevant and deeper insights in the risk management process as well as risk management framework. As a result, I am in a better position to properly consider risks in an appropriate, timely manner and engage the arrangements QAS has for managing risks.

What are the key takeaways you have learnt from taking this qualification and what practices are you looking at putting in place to manage business risk?

The key takeaways for me are the benefits of integration i.e. incorporating risk management across functions and secondly, the relationship between the risk management framework and organisational culture. I am looking to promote and encourage the adoption of a broader approach to risk management along with actions and behaviours that will develop and enhance positive risk management culture.

Did you find this qualification beneficial to your career growth and would you recommend this to others?

Absolutely. The qualification has equipped me with a wealth of practical and transferable skills. I recommend it to anyone whose role entails managing risk, business continuity or emergency response planning. A colleague of mine is already undertaking the course, following my recommendation.

Would you recommend your area of work to others?

Managing business risk is very interesting; especially considering that business risks are ever changing. You get to work with a lot of data, resources and people across different organisational functions, which make it varied and engaging too.