London Gatwick has celebrated engaging with half a million students through its education and skills initiatives – a major milestone in its commitment to inspiring the next generation. It comes as the airport welcomed 28 local schoolchildren for its second annual work experience week from 7–11 July.
The group of year 10 students (aged 14–15) from seven local schools took part in a packed programme that showcased the variety of careers available at the airport, from airfield operations and engineering to retail, finance and sustainability.
Throughout the week, students went onto the airfield and saw the world’s most efficient single runway in action and went behind the scenes to explore the engineering and operational infrastructure that keeps the airport running. They also joined the biodiversity team on a habitat walk to learn how London Gatwick manages its local environment.
In partnership with construction company Mace, the group visited the live building site at Pier 6, gaining valuable insight into the wide range of construction careers across the supply chain, as well as apprenticeship opportunities at the UK’s second busiest airport.
The programme also focused on soft skills development, with activities including STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) based workshops, group presentations and interactive Q&A panels with London Gatwick employees from a range of departments including Innovation, Legal and Passenger Operations.
Since launching its second Decade of Change sustainability strategy in 2021, London Gatwick has reached more than 540,000 students through internships, in-school sessions, virtual careers live broadcasts and visits to its on-site STEM Centre, which recently celebrated its 5,000th visitor in June.
The airport is committed to reaching one million student engagements by 2030, helping to inspire and equip the next generation with the skills and confidence to pursue careers in aviation and beyond.
Mark Johnston, Chief Operating Officer at London Gatwick, said: “We were delighted to welcome so many young people behind the scenes for work experience, giving them first-hand insight into the scale and complexity of our airport operations. Across the airport, we offer roles that combine variety, development and meaningful collaboration across teams stakeholders, providing opportunities to engage and grow a diverse talent pipeline."
“Through our education outreach and early career programmes, we will continue to invest in the next generation of aviators who will help shape London Gatwick’s future as we continue to grow. Reaching more than half a million student encounters is a milestone moment and one we are excited to build on as we work towards our goal of one million encounters by 2030.”
Year 10 student, The Gatwick School, Crawley said: “This is the best work experience opportunity for any student in Year 10 because you can see multiple jobs at the airport rather than just focusing on one if you don’t know what you want to do in the future.”
Year 10 student, The Forest School, Horsham said: "I learnt about all the different career paths that are in the airport – there are so many opportunities to look at. I had not found the career path that I was looking for until I came here and may have found what I was looking for at London Gatwick."
Visit London Gatwick’s education webpage (Education with Gatwick | London Gatwick Airport) to explore resources and information on airport’s STEM Centre, Employment, Skills and Business Strategy (ESBS), and Second Decade of Change sustainability goals.
