New hires in engineering at Gatwick Airport highlights the airport’s commitment to providing opportunities for women in STEM

London, UK, 2021-Sep-17 — /Travel PR News/ — Gatwick Airport is proud to have recruited four new engineering apprentices for its 2021 cohort, with an equal split between males and females for the first time.

The move highlights the airport’s ongoing commitment to providing opportunities for women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) roles.

The four new apprentices, aged 16 to 18, all come from local schools and colleges within the region, with Harry Dowling-Woods from Crawley College, Zoe Potts from Reigate College, Finlay Toner from Northbrook MET in Worthing and Abi Davies, a former student of Millais School in Horsham, where Gatwick has been running a Women into STEM programme since 2018 to encourage more girls to take up careers in engineering.

New apprentice, Abi Davies, said: “Only 12% of UK engineers are female. I want to be a part of changing this and show girls that there are companies paving the way for female engineers. I want to help break the gender stereotypes and show young girls like me that they can be engineers and work in STEM roles.”

The new apprentices will start the four-year Mechatronics programme in September, with their first year taking place exclusively at East Surrey College. They will study practical and theory-based subjects, working towards a BTEC level two, before combining their studies with practical days at the airport in their second year.

Gatwick currently has 16 apprentices across four cohorts, and the airport’s successful apprenticeship programme has recently been recognised with second place in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers in the Rate My Apprenticeship Awards. In addition, Gatwick also placed second in the South East as best apprenticeship employers.

The five apprentices ‘graduating’ from Gatwick’s programme this year – Liberty Frankland, Jack Hobbs, Max Brown, Glenn Minshall and James Tandy – have all been offered permanent roles at the airport. Their new positions commenced on 6 September, working across areas including baggage, airfield, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and specialist systems.

Additionally, Gatwick is continuing its work across two school programmes – Primary Engineering and Engineering Tomorrow – to promote STEM subjects and the career opportunities provided by the airport. Through Primary Engineering, Gatwick engages 15 primary schools and five secondary schools, while Engineering Tomorrow sees projects such as bridge construction, water treatment and aerodynamics delivered to around 500 14-16-year-olds across the region every year.

Tony Yates, Head of Engineering at Gatwick Airport, added: “Diversity within engineering and STEM subjects is vital for driving innovation and continuous improvement. It’s important that young children – especially girls – are made aware of the opportunities, while at the same time dispelling stereotypes, which is what both of these programmes are designed to do.

“Recent polling* shows that nearly 60% of local people consider Gatwick to have a positive impact on developing skills in young people, so it shows that our programmes are continuing to make a good impression and support our future generations.”

Gatwick has started a public consultation on plans to bring its existing Northern Runway into routine use alongside its Main Runway. Full consultation materials are available on the www.gatwickairport.com/futureplans web pages along with a virtual exhibition and an option to book a telephone surgery with project experts or to request a virtual briefing for local stakeholder groups.

Applications for Gatwick’s 2022 Engineering Apprenticeship Programme will be advertised in the autumn.

Notes to Editors

*Research undertaken in May 2021 by Pepper Media, via an online survey with 2,000 local Gatwick residents (RH, CR, BN, GU, KT and TN postcodes).

About Gatwick Airport

Gatwick is the UK’s second largest airport and flies a range of both short and long-haul point-to-point services. The airport is a vital piece of the UK’s national infrastructure and is also a major driver for both the regional and national economies. In 2019, a new long-term partnership was formed with VINCI Airports which purchased a 50.01% stake in the airport.

About VINCI Airports

VINCI Airports, the world’s leading airport operator, manages 45 airports in 12 countries in Europe, Asia and on the American continent. Though its expertise as a comprehensive integrator, VINCI Airports develops, finances, builds and operates airports, leveraging its investment capacity, international network and know-how to optimise operational performance, modernise airports and manage their environmental transition. In 2016, VINCI Airports was the first airport operator to commit to an international environmental strategy aimed at achieving net zero emissions over its entire network looking to 2050. All information available on www.vinci-airports.com

@VINCIAirports
www.linkedin.com/company/vinci-airports/

About Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP)

GIP manages the remaining 49.99% interest in Gatwick, is an independent infrastructure investor that makes equity investments in high quality infrastructure assets in the energy, transport and water/waste sectors. GIP has US$68 billion of Assets under Management. Its 41 portfolio companies operate in over 51 countries with more than 67,000 employees and generate annual revenues of circa US$51 billion. For more information on GIP please visit http://global-infra.com

Media enquiries to:

GATWICK AIRPORT PRESS OFFICE
+ 44 (0) 1293 505000
gatwickmedia@gatwickairport.com

Source: GATWICK AIRPORT

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