London Heathrow Airport welcomed a record crowd to its 2019 careers fair with more than 5,600 students, parents and teachers seeking career advice from 81 companies from across the airport.
It has now been calculated that in total, over 5,600 young people, parents and teachers sought career advice from 81 companies from across the airport including British Airways, Heathrow Fire and Rescue, MACE and EAT at the Sofitel Heathrow last week.
Heathrow and its partner companies discussed current and future career opportunities at the airport, including 10,000 apprenticeship schemes created by the airport’s expansion program.
Visitors took the opportunity to explore careers, internships, apprenticeships, graduate schemes and entry-level roles in sectors such as aviation, hospitality and education.
The fair comes after Heathrow launched Britain’s first airport-owned Shared Apprentice Scheme in construction to help build a stronger base of UK skills.
Responding to the recommendations made by the airport’s independent Skills Taskforce, Heathrow also committed to provide 10,000 quality work experience days by 2030 and 1,200 work placement days to local T-level students in construction and digital careers from September 2020.
Becky Ivers, people director – expansion, London Heathrow, said, “It was wonderful to welcome a record crowd of keen students at this year’s jobs and careers fair. As our plans for airport expansion take shape, we need to develop the skills that will be required to deliver this major UK project.
“Our annual fair presents a great opportunity to kick that off and helps to ensure the benefits of expansion will be shared right across the region. We look forward to welcoming many of the students back to the airport in the years to come.”
As one of the largest single-site employers in the UK, Heathrow has a unique role to play in the economic development in West London and the Thames Valley, as well as all of the UK. More than 76,500 people are directly employed at over 400 companies in Heathrow alone.