Thousands of young people across the UK are being encouraged to consider careers in aviation, as, on Wednesday 29 July, organisations across the country were invited to apply for a share of £750,000 through the latest round of the Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund.
Over the last 4 years, the Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund has invested more than £3 million in 46 organisations, to inspire over 1 million over 16-year-olds from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds to explore aviation careers such as piloting, engineering, aircraft maintenance, aerospace and aviation technologies.
In its fifth year, grants will continue to help organisations deliver outreach programmes, mentoring, careers events and interactive learning experiences that give young people the confidence, skills and knowledge to pursue a career in aviation that they previously might not have.
Aviation Minister, Keir Mather, said that aviation careers should be available to every young person with ambition and talent, regardless of their background. He claimed that the UK saw a record number of passengers last year, 302 million, therefore the governments funding will help to bring in the next generation of skilled workforce to drive economic growth.
Young people from lower working-class backgrounds are more likely to be NEET (not in education, employment or training), therefore the fund is vital to help tackle barriers that can prevent young people from entering the industry. This includes providing access to industry networks, removing financial constraints, and improving awareness of the careers available.
Skills England estimates that demand across sectors, including transport and construction will grow by 24% over the next decade, requiring up to 1.8 million additional skilled workers. With the demand forecast predicting that UK airports will see around 465 million passengers a year by 2050, the next generation will play a vital role in keeping the UK’s aviation sector growing.
Applications for the fund will be assessed by a joint panel from the Department for Transport and the UK Civil Aviation Authority, which administers the fund on the department’s behalf.