Jobseekers will be given the chance to pursue aviation careers through a specialist Academy being created by East Midlands Airport and Nottingham College.
The Academy will offer tailor-made pre-employment and upskilling training to around 200 adult learners a year.
The free two-week courses will equip them with the skills they need to take up jobs ranging from ground crew, baggage handling, security, customer service, or roles within hotels, car parks or logistics.
The development of the fully-accredited training forms part of EMA’s five-year Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy ‘Working Together for a Brighter Future,’ with the latest progress update for 2022/23 published today.
The report shows how EMA is progressing on a number of CSR commitments, including increasing its use of energy from renewable sources, granting funds for local community projects, continuing to take action to reduce noise impacts, improving service for customers with reduced mobility and increasing the number of passengers reaching the airport by sustainable transport.
EMA’s parent company Manchester Airports Group also released its group-wide CSR Report today, which set out progress made against five Jet Zero Pledges.
The innovative new training partnership with Nottingham College will provide local people with the skills they need to access the varying careers available within the aviation, tourism and logistics industries.
In time further opportunities for training will be opened up, helping to ensure that local people and existing staff can easily access the full range of jobs and careers on offer at EMA.
“We’re excited about this new partnership, which establishes improved links between the region’s largest college and East Midlands Airport, an economic powerhouse for the region. We’re keen for local people to take up the wide range of opportunities at the airport, and the Academy helps us to do that by providing an approved and free pathway to employment.
“Providing and strengthening these links with our local communities is an important part of our Corporate Social Responsibility agenda, something we take really seriously. It extends to being a good neighbour to our surrounding communities with a renewed Noise Action Plan and reaching the £2m milestone in Community Fund grants, as well as continuing to take action towards being a net zero carbon airport by 2038.”
Marcella M’Rabety, Group Head of Education, Skills and Employment for EMA’s owner Manchester Airports Group said:
“This partnership responds directly to the local skills needs of one of our region’s most esteemed employers. As a college it’s our job to bridge the gap between employer and future employee, through high quality, responsive and industry-sponsored training and development.
“With this partnership we will be directly supporting over 200 local people into meaningful employment and a career in which they can continue to develop and grow. We’re absolutely delighted to be working with East Midlands Airport and feel proud to have been chosen as a training partner to deliver to their needs.”
Lisa Wilson, Executive Director for Employer Services at Nottingham College said:
EMA is one of the region’s largest and most high-profile employers, supporting around 8,000 jobs and contributing around £443m GVA to the regional economy last year. It is home to the largest dedicated freight hub in the UK and as port of the new East Midlands Freeport, expects to see growth in and around the site in the coming years.
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