Updated
Updated · ADS Advance · Aug 14
Gatwick Aviation Academy Trains 110 Jobseekers, 59 Move Into Airport Roles
Updated
Updated · ADS Advance · Aug 14

Gatwick Aviation Academy Trains 110 Jobseekers, 59 Move Into Airport Roles

3 articles · Updated · ADS Advance · Aug 14

Summary

  • 110 people have completed Gatwick’s Aviation Academy since its February 2026 launch, and 59 have already secured jobs or are awaiting start dates across the airport community.
  • The 10-day course gives participants a Level 1 Introduction to Aviation qualification and a guaranteed interview, aiming to turn training directly into employment for jobseekers in Sussex, Surrey and Croydon.
  • 12 airport employers, the Department for Work and Pensions, Crawley College and John Ruskin College deliver the programme, which Gatwick says helps meet long-term aviation workforce needs.
  • 70% of Sussex and Surrey participants are now employed, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said during a recent Gatwick visit, linking the model to the government’s wider £2.5 billion youth support package.

Insights

With over half of Gatwick's academy graduates securing jobs, what happens to the remaining participants who completed the intensive course?
Could Gatwick's 10-day aviation training model be the ultimate blueprint for the government's new 300,000 work placement initiative?
Can a rapid 10-day training program truly solve long-term aviation skill shortages, or does it merely bandage immediate entry-level vacancies?