Business leaders, MPs, academics, educators, trainers and academics gathered on Tuesday evening at the House of Commons to mark the third year of delivery of Aviation Skills Partnership’s (ASP) Manifesto for Aviation Skills 2016-2021, which aims to provide solutions to the issue of how to supply enough talented skilled workers for the growing industry. This event also marked the sixth birthday of ASP who have worked over their first years to transform the approach to aviation skills and the recent acquisition by Pennant International Group Plc.
The need for a Manifesto for Aviation skills has grown out of a realisation that the aviation industry in the UK is facing strong growth both in a civil and defence capacity. There is a clear and defined need to develop talent for a growing industry by engaging individuals, businesses, trainers, educators, and government to ensure people with the right skills are available for the right jobs.
Although the aviation sector enjoys high levels of engagement with the general public, few follow up their enthusiasm for the industry by pursuing an associated career pathway. The specialist nature of aviation professions requires that talent and disposition are identified early and that channels into the industry are clearly signposted. The gaps in these pathways, and in the early identification of appropriate people, has led to significant skills shortages, which are forecast to worsen as aviation expands. ASP’s manifesto sets out a plan to ensure a legacy of a well-trained workforce to supply the national and international markets.
Chloe Smith MP and others spoke on the night. Leading employers, educators, as well as major employers, were present for the for the update on the manifesto and for the presentation of the fourth annual Aviation Skills Awards for an industry recognising the achievements of those already in the industry.
Simon Witts, Founder & Chief Executive of Aviation Skills Partnership (ASP) said:
“I continue to hold the view that the UK needs to re-establish its place as one of the world’s leading providers of skilled people to feed the growth in the industry. We have a long and proud aviation and aerospace heritage and we have recognised the world over for the standard, quality, and content of our training. I have benefited hugely from this over my successful career to date. My aim, in launching this manifesto, was to build on the industry success to date and add in the work that we have carried out since our formation in 2013 to produce a coherent and comprehensive set of objectives on which to deliver. I am proud of the progress that we have made in our first few years. We have a unique position as a nation on which to build this – and so we shall.”
