- Heathrow’s one stop shop for airport careers – the Heathrow Employment and Skills Academy – marks two decades of helping the local community
- Free advice and support are available to anyone who needs help to land a job at the hundreds of companies based at Heathrow
- More than 10,000 job offers and apprenticeships to upskill colleagues have been secured through the service since it launched
Airport teams are celebrating 20 years of connecting Heathrow’s nearest neighbours to the careers available on their doorstep. The Heathrow Employment and Skills Academy offers free support and advice to jobseekers and young people about the world of work at the UK’s hub airport.
The Heathrow Academy is available for all ages, offering free in-person support to land a role at country’s largest single site of employment.
This includes essential skills workshops, work experience days and a unique shared apprenticeship scheme. The scheme allows people to learn and develop across multiple companies, enjoying the unrivalled variety of skills and jobs available in one of world’s busiest airports.
Over 10,000 people have received a job offer or been upskilled through apprenticeships following support from the Heathrow Academy, in addition to workshops, jobs and career fairs, and one-to-one information, advice and guidance. In just the last four years the Heathrow Academy has delivered 4,500 in person work experience days to young people across the airport.
Going the extra mile to support local candidates helps the regional economy to benefit from Heathrow and keeps passengers and cargo on the move as airport vacancies are filled quickly.
In addition to jobs in Heathrow’s own teams, vacancies cover the breadth of career opportunities in multiple sectors such as airlines, ground operations, engineering, retail, hospitality, construction, logistics, security and more.
They include people like Kori Bleau – Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Apprentice. Kori, 23, began her journey with the Engineering Insight Week, a Heathrow Academy programme aimed at inspiring young people into STEM careers.
Kori said: “I would highly recommend Heathrow’s Engineering Insight Week to any student, whether they have a clear idea of their future career or are still exploring options. University isn't the only route—apprenticeships can be a great alternative, offering hands-on experience and career progression. The key is finding the path that works best for you.”
Poorvi Patel, Heathrow’s Head of Education, Employment and Skills, said: “There is a whole world of work available at Heathrow and our mission over the last 20 years has been making sure our neighbours get direct access to those career opportunities. The stories we hear from candidates speak for themselves – it truly makes a difference to people’s lives when they land the right role for them. I would encourage anyone living locally who wants help to unlock their Heathrow career to get in touch with our dedicated team.”
Jayne Ryan, Senior HR Business Partner, Aviation-Heathrow, Wilson James, said: “We are proud of our continued collaboration with the Heathrow Academy. Together we have supported hundreds of people from the local community in securing a role with Wilson James. We are particularly proud to deliver a bespoke Aviation Customer Service apprenticeship to 18 local people, empowering the next generation of aviation professionals with hands-on experience and expert training to assist passengers who require support.”
To find out more about careers at the airport, visit the Heathrow Employment and Skills Academy website.
