East Midlands Airport aims to inspire 20,000 young people into future careers by 2030
East Midlands Airport has set an ambition to support at least 20,000 young people through its education and skills programmes by 2030, as the airport continues to invest in the next generation of talent.
Marking World Youth Skills Day on 15 July which this year focused on AI and digital skills, the airport is highlighting the work taking place across its education and skills programmes, including its education centre Aerozone and the East Midlands Airport Academy, which help thousands of young people and adults each year build skills, gain experience and explore future career opportunities.
The Aerozone welcomed a group of students from East Leake Academy who heard about the next generation scanning equipment that’s now in use in airport security, as well as how other new technologies are changing how the airport operates. [M(1] In addition, the students had the opportunity to experience what it is like to work in a variety of roles at East Midlands Airport through the Aerozone’s interactive role-play zones. They ended the day with a terminal trail, where they were able to see these roles in action.
These programmes support the Government's ambition to reduce the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) by creating pathways into learning and work. The Aerozone hosts visits from around 80 local schools each year, with almost 35,000 young people having attended since it opened in 2010. Meanwhile the Academy offers two-week ‘introduction to aviation’ courses every year run by Nottingham College, training over 207 people last year, with 49% going on to find employment.
Just under 8,000 people work across the East Midlands Airport campus, which is home to 145 companies. As the airport continues to grow, developing a strong pipeline of future talent remains a key priority.
Marcella M'Rabety, Head of Social Sustainability at MAG, said: "For many young people, a visit to Aerozone is the moment aviation becomes real. By giving young people access to experiences, opportunities and role models, we're helping them build confidence, develop skills and understand the exciting careers available at the airport.
“Supporting young people is important because it helps us build the future workforce the airport needs while creating opportunities for local communities and helping reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET)."
More information about Aerozone, the airport Academy and careers at the airport is available here: Employment, Skills and Education | East Midlands Airport