Johan Lundgren, CEO of easyJet said: “We are delighted to be reopening our pilot training programme again for the first time since the pandemic hit and will see us recruit over 1,000 new pilots in the coming years”.

Gender gap

Among airline pilots, "only six percent of pilots worldwide are women." With these numbers, easyJet, in this recruitment campaign, is focusing its efforts on encouraging women to become pilots in order to bridge the gender gap in the industry.

“We continue to focus on challenging gendered stereotypes of the career, having doubled the number of female pilots flying with us in recent years. We also acknowledge that whilst we have made progress, there is still work to do. Increasing diversity in all of its forms in the flight deck is a long-term focus for easyJet and so we will continue to ensure we lead the industry on this issue," added the CEO.

According to a note sent by easyJet, since 2015, easyJet has almost doubled the number of female pilots in its ranks. Like many industries, the impact of the pandemic meant that the airline had to pause bringing new recruits onboard.

This lack of women in this profession is not just a problem of gender inequalities, in fact, there are fewer women applying for the job, in part because of the lack of role models - many young women do not even consider this job as a possibility.

Role models

“It’s important that girls have visible role models so we can combat job stereotypes and show that anyone with the motivation and passion can turn their skills to being an airline pilot. I love the responsibility and challenge that comes with my job – but it’s not as challenging as juggling the demands of a five-year old and a little baby at home!" said Captain Iris de Kan, who is one of the stars of the new recruiting campaign.

Working for easyJet and a mother of two, Captain Iris de Kan, is seen in one of the ads with 5-year-old daughter Kiki. The advert serves to show that anyone who has the ability to multitask can become an excellent pilot.

The Generation easyJet Pilot Training Programme was launched on 31 January 2022 on easyJet's social media platforms across Europe and in the UK. It aims to attract young people with little or no flying experience to operate a commercial passenger jet in about two years through its training course.

Anyone who loves the sky and is passionate about flying can apply if they meet the following requirements: be at least 18 years old at the start of the course and be free to live and work in the UK, EU and Switzerland without restrictions; have at least completed high school education (a background in maths, English and science can be helpful); be fluent in English (written and spoken); and be able to obtain an EASA or CAA Class 1 medical as required for the relevant license.

To find out more about it, please see https://becomeapilot.easyjet.com/

Author

Paula Martins is a fully qualified journalist, who finds writing a means of self-expression. She studied Journalism and Communication at University of Coimbra and recently Law in the Algarve. Press card: 8252

Paula Martins