Biggin Hill Futures Week: Aviation Career Boost

Local students get hands-on access to airport careers at London Biggin Hill Airport.

Biggin Hill Futures Week brings secondary and further-education students onto the airfield to explore aviation jobs and training routes — and it’s already being billed as a practical response to staff shortages across UK aviation. The programme takes place at London Biggin Hill Airport and targets young people who might not otherwise consider technical, operational or airside roles.

Activities are designed to demystify day-to-day roles: airport operations, ramp and ground-handling, aircraft engineering and air traffic control (ATC). Organisers pair students with industry mentors and offer short workshops so attendees can try tools, talk to engineers and learn the basic safety routines that underpin airport work. The event highlights career pathways into the UK and wider European aviation sectors, where employers are actively recruiting across grades and trades.

Biggin Hill Futures Week — what’s on offer

The week mixes briefings, site tours and practical stations so students see both the office and airside sides of aviation. Typical sessions include guided apron walks, engineering bench demos, simulated ATC exercises, CV clinics and employer Q&As. A core aim is to make progression clear — from apprenticeships and college courses to on-the-job training — and to widen access to roles traditionally filled through informal networks.

• Guided apron and tower simulations — part of Biggin Hill Futures Week to introduce ATC and operations.
• Hands-on engineering benches showing basic inspections and component familiarisation.
• Mentoring and CV workshops connecting students with recruiters and training providers.

Airport officials say they expect the programme to increase local interest in aviation careers and help strengthen the talent pipeline for small London airports and regional carriers. For students, the event is a compact, practical way to test whether a career around aircraft, systems or airport logistics feels right — and for operators it’s a low-cost way to spot motivated entry-level talent before vacancies arise.