We all agree that European aviation needs skilled, talented flight crews to underpin the growing aviation sector. But where to find and how to attract them? The question is even more pressing now that airlines have woken up to the fact that the pilots queuing at their doorsteps, coming from varied supply sources, may not always be up to the airline quality standards.
The solution – as ECA outlines in a recent position paper – will require sweeping changes: a different approach to candidate screening, improving the attractiveness of the profession and its working conditions, and bringing pilot training into the 21st century. The backbone of the future European pilot body is at primary and secondary school as we speak. It is with those young people that the industry should seek early-stage engagement.
Reaching out to children in schools is a sure way of promoting the pilot career and creating enthusiasm and motivation. Children who have no relatives working in aviation would rarely consider it as a dream job or a viable career option. This is why having a presentation of the opportunities in the aviation sector early on would help them – boys and girls – and their parents to plan ahead and consider a flying job.
