Forty Gatwick jobs created at £2.7 million easyJet training centre

The Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin MP attended the official opening of The easyJet Gatwick Academy today (Wednesday October 14).

An easyJet spokesman said: “The new Academy, a £2.7 million investment by easyJet, has been built to accommodate easyJet’s continued growth and houses a world-class training facility comprising classrooms, cabin simulator, evacuation slide and fire training rig. This will bring 40 new jobs to Gatwick. The Academy is located within Concorde House at London Gatwick Airport and will train easyJet pilots and crew from bases across Europe.”

easyJet chief executive Carolyn McCall announced it will recruit 310 pilots and 830 cabin across its UK bases crew over the next year.

Stewart Wingate, CEO London Gatwick Airport, said: “easyJet’s operation at Gatwick continues to go from strength to strength, with The Gatwick Academy the latest development in the easyJet Gatwick success story, as the airport becomes a pivotal base for easyJet’s training of pilots across Europe.”

Carolyn McCall said: “I am delighted to see the opening of the easyJet Gatwick Academy which is a modern state-of-the-art facility that enables us to continue to train our pilots and crew to the highest international standards at a time when the airline continues to grow.

“Over the next twelve months we will recruit over 1,100 pilots and crew. easyJet is a dynamic airline and we are looking for people who are as passionate about aviation as they are about customer service. We are fully committed to nurturing new talent and there are plenty of development opportunities available.”

Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin MP said: “The world-class reputation of British pilots and crews has helped build our thriving aviation industry and this training facility will help underpin that success.

“Airline pilots and crew are now able to apply for financial support as part of the government’s commitment to create three million more apprenticeships across the country. I welcome easyJet’s efforts to increase recruitment of female pilots and make sure that careers in aviation are open to all.”

Pauline Vahey, chair of the British Women Pilots Association said: “The British Women Pilots’ Association (BWPA) is delighted to partner with easyJet in this ground-breaking initiative. It aligns perfectly with the first aim of the BWPA to actively promote and encourage women into flying careers in the aviation industry.

“This initiative demonstrates that easyJet is a pioneer in the industry, not unlike the early women pioneers in aviation who founded the BWPA sixty years ago this year.

“We believe it will not only benefit easyJet and the women who participate but also the industry in general.”

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