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Air Partner academy aims to bridge aviation skills gap

[ November 10, 2022   //   ]

Aviation services provider, Air Partner has launched a Broker Academy to develop the next generation of experts in cargo, private jets and group charter.

The new scheme provides recruits with three-months’ training before assigning them to a six-month placement in one of the three Air Partner teams,. During this time, trainees will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and work with experts in the field with 30, 60 and 90-day check-ins on their development. 

The Broker Academy forms part of the industry-wide effort to engage young people in aviation. The Department of Transport has developed a Generation Aviation group as part of its larger Reach for the Skies programme to address the skills shortage and diversify the workforce.

UK-headquartered Air Partner  says that around 2.3 million workers left the aviation industry globally during the Covid pandemic and many have not returned.

Air Partner’s head of learning and development Lorna Gamman, said: “Companies must reignite confidence in aviation careers after the world witnessed the industry’s instability. And as the current economic climate remains turbulent, encouraging workers to switch roles poses an additional challenge as many seek stability in their roles and face ‘first in first out’ anxiety. There are roles for all successful candidates at the end of the academy to ensure that they feel secure in the industry and have the opportunity to flourish.”

The perception of aviation as an ‘old boys club’ can also act as a deterrent to much potential talent. Around 70% of the industry’s workforce are men and women are outnumbered in every role other than cabin crew.

Air Partner says that fostering a more inclusive training environment and providing role models in leadership can go a long way in dismantling traditional notions about the industry. However, more than half of its own new hires are female, as it has a ‘blind’ recruitment process to tackle unconscious bias. This is supported by specialist talent researchers from New Street Consulting Group, who were given the brief ‘potential over experience’ and ‘attitude over skill’.

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