Aviation's search for new talent

It took four years, but February 2024 marked the point when air passenger numbers evidently returned to pre-COVID-levels.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global trade body, journeys that month surpassed those in the same period during 2019 by almost 6%. By the end of the year, passenger flights around the world will exceed 4 billion.

It’s quite the turnaround considering just how hard commercial aviation was hit by the pandemic. An entire industry was almost brought to a halt, with a 95% drop in air traffic.

Honor Puciato, Principal Consultant in Ricardo’s Air Quality and Environment team, was an air quality strategy lead at London’s Heathrow airport at the time.

“COVID was a sudden shock to the entire sector”, she recalls. “Operations closed almost overnight. During summer 2020 there was no certainty about when or how quickly flights would restart. Vast numbers of people left the sector, including a lot of specialist expertise".

Analysts have since estimated that around 2.3 million jobs were shed across airlines, airports and the civil aerospace supply chain. Losses were not just in visible customer service and cabin crew roles, but also in fields such as design, engineering, telecommunications and environmental protection.

It created a skills gap that the sector is now trying restore and, in the process, attract a new generation of professionals who are passionate about building a more sustainable and inclusive aviation sector.

As one of ten 'Aviation Ambassadors' appointed by the UK’s Department for Transport to deliver a career outreach programme, attracting new talent to the sector is something Honor is currently deeply engaged in.

“Our aim is to demystify the industry and encourage people to think about careers in aviation - especially those from underrepresented backgrounds – and show how it is a sector that rewards creative, forward-thinking people.” 

If looking to showcase what aviation has to offer, the Farnborough Air Show is the perfect place to start.

The biennial event, which takes place in July 2024, attracts international trade visitors and the general public in large numbers - more than 75,000 are expected – to its mix of air displays, pavilions and exhibits featuring the latest technologies.

In line with the sector’s drive to attract younger talent, this year’s show will host ‘Pioneers of Tomorrow’ career events, featuring content targeting young attendees ranging from graduates to primary school children. Honor and her co-Ambassadors will be part of the event.

“I’m passionate about empowering young individuals to realise their potential and become catalysts for change within aviation,” she says.

“Young people are increasingly conscious of the detrimental effects of flying on our planet and hold sustainable development in high regard. If we are not thoughtful and truthful in our communications at events like Pioneers of Tomorrow, some individuals will understandably be hesitant to enter an industry that they associate with environmental harm”.

“Contrary to certain views that aviation is highly regulated and risk averse, or ignorant to its impacts on the environment, we want to show it is actually among the most dynamic and constantly evolving industries you could ever find”. 

“We stand at the frontier of decarbonisation and environmental sustainability, and we are pushing hard for clean technologies and emissions reduction”.

“My own aviation story began five years ago when I joined Heathrow Airport Ltd as an environmental manager and later assumed the role of air quality strategy lead. These roles exposed me to the challenges the sector faces, but also the work it commits to in order to meet its goal of net zero emissions by 2050”.

“Since joining Ricardo in 2021, I have been able to work with other UK airports, including Gatwick, Luton, and Highlands and Islands Airports, and continue my interests in addressing environmental challenges within the aviation industry". 

As well as air quality improvements at airports, Honor and colleagues in Ricardo are also setting up resources to boost the availability of Sustainable Aviation Fuels. And have launched a technical expert group tasked with looking at reducing aviation’s non-CO2 aviation emissions.

“Compared to other sectors, aviation is very proactive. We go to governments and say ‘this is what we need’. We do not attempt to hide our environmental record. We are clear that we need to do better and want to fulfil our obligations".

“Aviation thrives on change, actively collaborates with governments on new policies, and embraces innovation. This makes us an incredibly rewarding field for anyone – of any age - who is passionate about sustainability and safeguarding our environment”.

“That is why during my time as an Ambassador I want to help empower young individuals to become catalysts for change within the sector.

- Farnborough Air Show 2024 take place 22nd-26th July 2024
- For more about Pioneers of Tomorrow, visit the event website
- Learn more about Ricardo’s work in the aviation sector

Generation Aviation

Generation Aviation is a Department for Transport (DfT) created skills programme that was launched in October 2022 and sees Government working with industry and outreach partners to raise the profile of careers in aviation. The programme was launched in response to the resilience issues experienced in Summer 2022 and formed part of the 22-point action plan to address aviation disruption.  

There are five workstreams within Generation Aviation:

• Outreach - This includes grant schemes that support initiatives such as the Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund which has distributed funding over the last two years, as well as funding a series of outreach programmes to encourage young people from all backgrounds to consider careers in aviation.
• Signposting training, careers, and opportunities - Signposting to the breadth of careers as well as training and opportunities available across the sector. 
• Championing the sector - The Department for Transport appointed 10 Aviation Ambassadors for 2024-26 to raise the profile of the aviation sector, deliver outreach programmes, and support the development of career pathways. 
• Partnership with industry – Industry is a core part of Generation Aviation, and Dft works closely with industry, including the Aviation Industry Skills Board, to address barriers to access and grow the sector. 
• Research - Independent research projects on the future of the aviation sector, ensuring that data and evidence underpins any collective decision-making.

More: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/generation-aviation-group