Students from Stansted Airport College travelled to Westminster this week to show MPs how they are building careers in aviation as part of a drive to help more young people into work.
They were part of a special event in Parliament hosted by Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which owns London Stansted, to highlight the impact of its skills and employment programmes.
During the event, students spoke directly with Ministers and MPs, including the Rt Hon. Dame Diana Johnson MP, Minister for Employment and local MP Josh Dean. They shared their journeys into aviation, from school to vocational training, and their ambitions to move into airport roles or on to university.
The event follows the publication of the Milburn Review, which found nearly one million young people aged 16-24 in the UK are not in education, employment or training (NEET), underlining the need for clear pathways into work.
MAG’s programmes aim to address this challenge by creating routes into employment, from early engagement in schools through training and job opportunities.
At London Stansted, initiatives including the Aerozone, Airport Academy and Stansted Airport College support people at every stage of that journey.
Based at the airport and run in partnership with Harlow College, Stansted Airport College is the only further education college of its kind in the UK, offering specialist aviation training and direct pathways into industry jobs. More than 500 students study at the college each year, with many progressing into aviation roles or further education.
Students attending the Westminster event highlighted how the college has helped them gain qualifications, build confidence and take their first steps into the sector. MAG also outlined plans to expand the college, creating opportunities for more local people to train for careers linked to the airport.
Since 2020, more than 52,000 people have been supported through the group’s skills and employment programmes.
Josh Dean MP, Member of Parliament for Stortford and Hertford, said:
“The airport college at London Stansted is a pioneering project in our area and in the aviation industry, giving hundreds of local students an opportunity to study and move into careers at the airport or with aviation and aerospace businesses nearby. It was a pleasure to highlight their work, and the other educational programmes MAG deliver at all three of its UK airports to parliamentarians from across the UK, making the case for more employers to take this approach and encourage more MPs to support the work they do.”
Emma Crossland, Chief People Officer at MAG, said:
“The aviation sector needs a strong pipeline of skilled people to support future growth. Through our Airport Academies, Aerozones and Stansted Airport College, we are creating clear pathways into employment and helping young people build long-term careers in aviation.”
Karen Spencer, Principal and CEO of Harlow College, said:
“Stansted Airport College gives young people a clear route into the workplace. By bringing education and industry together in one location, we’re helping students develop the skills employers need while supporting the future growth of the aviation sector.”
