LONDON Stansted opened its doors to over 500 students from across Essex and Hertfordshire on Wednesday (Jan 28), giving them a hands‑on introduction to the exciting world of aviation at its first Aviation Careers Festival.
Held at the airport’s Radisson Blu Hotel, the event brought together 20 airport employers, including UK Border Force, Essex Police, NATS, Jet2, Swissport, Titan Airways, Ryanair, Radisson, and several teams from Manchester Airports Group (MAG).
The students, aged 14-19, took part in hands‑on activities including flight simulators, engineering challenges and technology demonstrations, and heard from industry professionals about their roles and career journeys. The British Heart Foundation’s Start a Heart programme was also on hand, providing CPR training to hundreds of students.
Gareth Powell, Managing Director at London Stansted, opened the event alongside Cllr Petrina Lees, Leader of Uttlesford District Council. He said:
“We’re proud to have hosted such an inspiring event for local young people. As the largest single-site employer in the East of England, London Stansted offers a huge range of exciting career paths, and this festival gives students the chance to experience that first-hand. Our partners and colleagues did a fantastic job showcasing the skills and technology that keep our airport running.”
The festival is the first of three events funded through the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Department for Transport’s Reach for the Skies initiative, which awarded almost £90,000 to help inspire future aviation talent across MAG airports. Further festivals will take place at Manchester Airport in February and East Midlands Airport in March.
Commenting on the Reach for the Skies initiative, Aviation Minister Keir Mather said:
“Through our Reach for the Sky programme we’ve invested over £800,000 in the last year – including £85,000 for Manchester Airports Group’s careers festivals – helping give thousands of young people opportunities to learn about the varied career paths into aviation. The UK has a proud aviation heritage, and alongside leading industry players, we’re inspiring young people from all backgrounds to see the sector as a place where they can thrive and build rewarding futures.”
Brenda Jefcoate, STEM Lead at the CAA, said:
“These events are a fantastic opportunity for young people to learn about the huge variety of careers in aviation, and we’re really excited to be supporting Manchester Airports Group in encouraging the next generation. With new technologies and challenges on the horizon, bringing in new talent is essential for the aviation system to grow, and we’re keen to support similar projects that connect with local communities.”
Students from 11 schools, along with learners from Stansted Airport College, gained direct insight from aviation professionals. Among them was Louis Mason from New Hall School, Chelmsford, who hopes to pursue a career as a pilot. He said:
“I had no idea how many different jobs there are at London Stansted or the different ways you can get into them. It was great to speak to people who work there and take part in the interactive activities. It’s really opened my eyes to future career options and made me even more excited about flying.”
Callie Dennis, Careers Lead at Forest Hall School in Stansted Mountfitchet, said the festival played an important role in raising aspirations among students:
“This has been a hugely important day for our students. It opened their eyes to the wide range of careers out there, many of which they probably didn’t even know existed. The students were incredibly excited, and events like this play a major role in raising aspirations, which is something we’re really focused on at the school.”
