London Biggin Hill Airport (EGKB) recently hosted 15 young people to give them insights into potential aviation careers. The privately owned business aviation hub held its 10th Futures Week event with support from locally based companies such as Bombardier and helicopter services provider Castle Air, as well as British Airways and the Royal Navy.
The 15 students hosted at Biggin Hill last week experienced how the airport’s rescue and firefighting services work, and spoke with an aircraft engineer, air traffic controllers, and a charter flight broker. The five-day event included practical workshops, tours, and mentoring sessions.
Since Biggin Hill started holding biannual Futures Week events in 2022, it has given opportunities to more than 150 young people. The airport is responding to what Airbus has assessed as the wider aviation industry’s need for around 2.4 million new professionals over the next two decades.
According to airport STEM ambassador Hannah Gray, the program has resulted in several students starting a career in aviation that they might not otherwise have considered.
“We need people in aviation who are willing to ask questions, think differently, and find solutions to new challenges,” said Biggin Hill Airport CEO David Winstanley. “Futures Weeks is about encouraging this curiosity and confidence from an early stage and helping young people develop the skills that are essential to our industry’s future.”
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