The government has announced 10 new Aviation Ambassadors with a goal of inspiring future pilots, engineers and air traffic controllers into the sector.

Starting their voluntary roles on 28 January, the ambassadors are aviation professionals who have been recruited to work closely with the Department for Transport (DfT) to help meet the goals of its Generation Aviation programme.

First launched in 2021, part of their role includes going into schools, hosting workshops, and using social media to reach primary, secondary and college students across England.

Individuals chosen to be part of the DfT's Aviation Ambassadors Group will serve for a two-year period and cover a breadth of career paths such as ground handling and airfield safety to commercial flying, customer service, and aviation law.

Aviation Minister, Keir Mather, said: "Aviation is full of exciting opportunities and fulfilling career paths and we're determined to encourage more young people to see the sector as a place where they can thrive and build rewarding, long-term futures.

"Our Aviation Ambassadors are key to making that happen – sharing their own journeys, helping to break down barriers and showing the sky really is the limit."

Newly appointed Ambassador Ross Priday, former Chief Engineer for the Red Arrows, added: "Aviation gave me a career I could never have imagined, and I want others to see the incredible opportunities this industry offers.

"Whether someone is fascinated by engineering, drawn to the skies as a pilot, or interested in roles like air traffic control, ground operations or aviation law and insurance, there truly is something for everyone."

CILT(UK) would like to congratulate all new Aviation Ambassadors appointed by the DfT:

• Emma Garnham – Training and Compliance Director for DHL, a ground handler, based in London
• Abdullah Bin Sajid Butt – Customer Operations Coordinator at Jet2.com, based in Bradford
• Ross Priday – CEO of a business delivering aviation safety risk advisory services to industry. Previously served as Chief Engineer for the Red Arrows, based in Wales
• Sigourney Ansah – an aspiring commercial pilot, who has previously worked for British Airways and Virgin Atlantic at their head offices, based in London
• Sam Higgins – student outreach manager for British Airways, based in London
• Ken Eckersall – director of KenEck, a company which delivers aviation outreach to schools and colleges through portable flight simulators, FlightDeck PC, based in Wigan
• David Gardner – aviation fire fighter and medical lead for Luton Airport's first responder scheme, based in Luton
• Lauren Turner – Operations Director at East Midlands Airport, based in the Midlands
• Miguel Cabrera Vivas – former Service Recovery Manager at Heathrow and founder of 'The Aviation Mentor' social media channels with 177,000 likes and 6,000 followers, based in London
• Marcus Sellars – Aviation Automation and Digital Transport Integration Lead at Tees Valley Combined Authority, based in Darlington