How Can Aerospace Inspire Young People to Join the Industry?
As a follow-up to our previous post on skills shortages within licensed engineering, we now want to take a look at the ways the industry can inspire young people to get involved.
Specifically, in this article, we’ll look at how young people can get started with Part 66 licensing, including funding, education routes, and how we as industry members can inspire them.
As we discussed in our previous post, one of the most significant issues facing this specific niche of the industry is an ageing workforce that isn’t being replaced at a sustainable level. We can look at CAA stats for confirmation, although they don’t go part 2021. In 2020, the CAA issued 12,242 Part 66 licenses, whereas in 2021, this figure dropped to 11,639. In 2019, the figure was 13,294.
These statistics show that there is a clear decrease in the number of licenses issued. What’s more, few were issues to those under 30, and numbers peak for engineers aged 56 and 57. This is confirmation of the ageing license holder trend and, if it continues, will have significant effects on the industry.
Another issue that’s impacting people seeking Part 66 licensing is the funding and time commitment. Part 66 licensing is expensive and requires demonstrated industry experience. This affects the number of people who feel the payoff is worth the time and money needed to obtain the license.
However, there are numerous routes into Part 66 licensing. First is the degree route, which requires a qualification to be accredited by the CAA. Provided this is the case, an educational institution can arrange obtaining the license as part of a person’s degree.
Outside of degree education, there are apprenticeship routes. Aerospace is an ideal industry for apprenticeships, particularly for something like Part 66 licensing that requires on-the-job experience. Apprenticeships are offered by companies such as BA, EasyJet, Rolls-Royce, and defence companies.
As for inspiring young people to get started in the industry, this will involve demystifying the concept of Part 66 licensing. It’s fair to say that not many people outside of licensed engineering will know what it is and why it’s required, particularly young people with a general interest in aerospace engineering.
Licensed engineering is a highly stable niche of aerospace engineering with massive potential for career development. There are numerous sectors in which to work, different types of aircraft, and different roles within licensed engineering. Educating young people on its potential will be essential for the industry's continued success.
How to do so, of course, is a matter of debate. Social and digital media are the most obvious options, as well as in-person recruitment in education settings. Ideally, it’ll simply be a case of highlighting the opportunities of licensed engineering for young people and the potential it holds as a viable and sustainable career.
British aerospace engineering is on the brink of an employment crisis. The impacts of Brexit and an ageing population have been significant in our industry, and not addressing these in time could lead to further issues. While this is true of a lot of engineering work, it’s particularly important for Part 66 licensing due to its central relevance in aircraft safety. Without enough licensed engineers, there simply wouldn’t be an aerospace industry.
